Supernatural: Wayward Sons
by Bobbydrake2000
Summary: The adventures of Adam, Samandriel, and Ben as they hit the road seeking adventure and redemption while forming the family that they need with each other. Ongoing monthly series updated the first Wednesday of every month. This month: The inexperienced new hunters prepare to storm the Alpha Vampire's compound! Will they survive their first mission as a team?
1. The Virgin Alfie

_You think death is the end? Everything has to go somewhere, even dead souls. Human souls end up in Heaven, some end up in Hell. But where do angels and demons go when they get shanked with a blade? My name is Samandriel, and I found that out when my brother Castiel killed me..._

Samandriel, or 'Alfie' as the name badge on his Wiener Hut uniform read, opened his eyes as he stared up into the sky. He held his hands in front of his face, not seeing the hands that God had created for him, but the human hands of the young man he had possessed on Earth. It didn't take Samandriel to realize that his grace was completely gone, leaving him powerless and weak. While his vessel's owner had gone on to Heaven, Samandriel himself was left with an empty shell that his angel form had bonded with after having lost his grace. Samandriel was now nothing more than a dead mortal.

The former angel sat up, looking around the wide open wooded area as one word crossed his lips.

"Purgatory,"

 _I had heard the rumors that this is where angels and demons go when they die, but I didn't believe it. When an angel or demon gets killed on Earth, or Heaven, or Hell, we lose all of our grace or demonic power. Effectively, I'm weaker now than my host was before I possessed this boy._

 _I didn't know much about Alfie outside of the glimpses I saw of his memories. I tried not to pry too much, I didn't want to invade his privacy, but from what I saw he was a good child. He loved his parents, even though they were divorced, and he adored his little sister. He wasn't the smartest kid, but he was loyal and a hard worker. When I found him, he was praying for a way to help his parents find their way back to each other. It didn't take much convincing for him to let me in._

 _I can still see the memories I saw before, like learning to ride a bike, his extremely awkward first kiss when he ended up missing the girl completely, and his very first taste of ice cream, but anything else? No, Alfie must have gone straight to heaven after my host vessel died. This body is mine now, for better or worse. Without any grace or powers, I am trapped in this form, which is bad if I run into trouble here. Alfie's body lacks any form of physical strength to fight off whatever will come after me here. I just hope I can run if it comes down to it._

"Angel!" a voice shouted as Samandriel turned around. A horrific smirk crossed his face. "The virgin."

Samandriel started running as fast as his weak human legs would carry him. He didn't realize how badly out of shape his host was as he started to tire quickly. He finally lost the demons and rested against a tree, breathing heavily.

* * *

 _Six months I've been stuck here, and I've learned that this place is not only inhabited by fallen angels and demons, but by Leviathans and other monsters as well. I've survived the best I could, but in this place, that's not enough. I've run across several familiar faces, but I've yet to find a friendly one. Because my loyalties lay with Castiel, I am seen as an enemy here. Word travels fast, so everyone wants my head now. The problem gets worse when you realize that since everyone here is already dead, losing your head means you still live, just... without a body._

 _Those that were loyal to Castiel that came here were swayed by those who blame him for their banishment here. I am truly alone here, but I shall remain loyal to my brother._

* * *

 _I lost my shoe today outrunning a pack of vampires. I've lost track of how long I've been here, but it doesn't matter. Purgatory is an endless place, so no matter how far I run or try to fight, everyone hates the sight of me. I wish I could get out of this place, but escape from Purgatory is impossible unless you're a Winchester._

* * *

 _There have been rumors of ways to escape Purgatory that I overhear when eavesdropping at night on my former brothers and sisters. They were unfounded rumors until I found out that Naomi was here, and was rounding up the most powerful of the fallen. I kept wondering why every demon, monster, and angel simply referred to me as 'the virgin' instead of my given name, until it was spelled out for me._

 _These are only rumors mind you, but I'm willing to try anything, if it means escaping. I just need the right ingredients for the spell. I don't know where this spell would take me, but anywhere is better than here. But most importantly, I need to stay a step ahead of everyone else._

* * *

 _That werewolf nearly took my arm off, but luckily I outran it. I've managed to get this form into manageable shape in the time I've been here. Now I can outrun virtually anything, and I can throw a punch if need be. The upside to this place is that even someone catches you, you can't die here._

 _Yeah, you can be dismembered, mauled, or torn apart, but you don't die. I learned that the hard way when the demons caught me weeks ago and I ended up losing an arm to get away. I eventually found it, but it's not easy putting an arm back on, plus it takes forever to heal. Plus my Wiener Hut uniform is now drenched in blood., but it's a small price to pay for getting out of here._

 _Next thing on my list of ingredients: (gulp) A demon hair._

* * *

 _Got the demon hair, but I lost my other shoe in the process. A fair trade, I suppose, although now my feet get cold at night. And the nights here get brutally cold. If I wasn't already dead, I'd get frostbite. But, hey, at least I got to keep my arm this time._

 _I have almost everything I need. I keep everything in a pouch around my neck, made from Alfie's undershirt. I hope Alfie's happy in Heaven. If I ever return to Earth, I should make amends to his family for causing his death. And in case you're wondering, no, I don't hold Castiel responsible for this. I know he was a pawn, just like I was. Just like all my brothers and sisters are. I am still loyal to Castiel, and I shall continue to do so until he gives me a reason not to._

 _Has it been months? Years? Decades since I've been here? It feels like an eternity, but time passes by faster here than on Earth. It could be forty years here or in Hell and only about four months on Earth. Either way, if this spell works, I'll hopefully be in a better place. I have everything I need, including the one thing that no one else in Purgatory has._

* * *

Samandriel started a small fire, having made sure that there was no one else around for miles. Angels, demons, and other monsters would dismember him and scatter his parts if they knew what he was up to. One by one he tossed the ingredients into the fire, each one changing the flames a different color as he chanted in the ancient angel language. He wasn't completely fluent, but he knew enough to get by.

"The last ingredient," Samandriel said as he pulled out a blade and started cutting the palm of his hand. "Blood of a virgin."

 _Of all the possessed vessels that had traveled to Purgatory with their hosts, mine was the only pure virgin here. That was something Alfie and I had in common. Neither of us had ever known... the pleasure of another. I was the first and only virgin to pass through Purgatory, and I was pretty sure I'd be the last._

 _Apparently someone out there knows that virgin blood can open the floodgates to get out of Purgatory if you know the right spell, so whoever's out there has been making sure that virgin hosts don't make it this far. How I slipped past the radar, I can't say, but here's hoping this works. It took forever to even learn what the ingredients were, or what incantation to recite. It took a lot of eavesdropping on just the right people at just the right time._

"Samandriel!" a voice shouted as the young angel looked toward his fallen bothers, who were running toward him. On the opposite side, a horde of Leviathans were coming.

"Damn," Samandriel said as he shook his hand over the fire, chanting as fast as he could. As soon as the blood hit the flames, they started shooting up as he looked around.

"Destroy him!" Zachariah shouted. "But keep his blood intact!"

Samandriel took a deep breath and jumped through the flames, which exploded in a fiery ball before anyone could reach him.

* * *

 _Wow, that was... dare I say it... fun? It hurt like hell, but it was fun and very exhilarating. And the best part is, I'm out of Purgatory, I think. I don't know where I am now, but it has to be a lot better than where I was._

There was darkness all around as Samandriel tried to pick himself up. It was hard to see, but from what he could tell, there was no danger. Except for the sword that was pointed at his throat.

"Who are you?"

"Samandriel," the young angel squeaked out as he kept his eyes closed.

"The angel Samandriel?"

"If you're going to kill me, make it quick."

"Fool, you can not die here, but you can be tortured and mutilated, which I fully plan to do, traitor,"

Samandriel opened his eyes and saw the angelic form of the Archangel Micheal standing before him.

"I'm in the Cage," Samandriel whispered with fear in his voice.

 **Next: Samandriel's out of the fire and into... well, more fire! Be here for SUPERNATURAL #1!**


	2. Hell's Angels

**Supernatural: Wayward Sons #1**

 **"Hell's Angels"**

 _ **Little Rock, Arkansas**_

 _ **Present Day**_

 _An angel, a Hunter, and a damaged soul walk into a bar..._

The pitcher of beer sat on the table, half empty, as the three young men sat around, talking and getting to know each other after the horrors of the last few days. Only one of them had managed to get any sleep, and that was only because of pure exhaustion.

"So, you weren't just blowing smoke," Ben Braeden said as he took a drink of beer. Luckily in seven months, he wouldn't need a fake I.D. anymore, as he would be 21. Until then, the bartenders would know him as Axl Van Halen. It wasn't his first taste of the stuff, mind you. Dean Winchester had given him his first sip of beer when he was 12, but Ben wasn't supposed to have remembered that. But that's a story for later. "You really are an angel."

" _Was_ an angel, before I lost my grace," Samandriel said, having just told the tale of how he'd escaped Purgatory. "I am bonded with my vessel now. I am now what you call human."

"Ah, this guy is more than human," Adam Milligan told them as he chugged his third glass of beer. It had been nearly 1,000 years since he'd tasted the sweet nectar. "I've seen this guy do some pretty brave stuff since I've known him. He's got a lot of balls for a former angel. Want to tell him about the spider pit?"

"I think Ben needs to know how we escaped Michael, first," Samandriel said.

"Yeah, I want to know how you got past an Archangel," Ben said as he leaned back.

"It wasn't easy," Adam told him. "In fact, I was damn near about to piss my pants doing what I was about to do. Well, if I'd been wearing pants..."

* * *

 _Then_

"I'm not a traitor," Samandriel said as he lay strapped to a table. He'd been stripped of his clothes, which were laying in a crumpled pile of rags on the floor as the Archangel Michael's hulking form paced in front of him. Michael's sword, one he had forged out of metal and hellfire during his time in the Cage, was leaning against the wall as the young angel struggled with his restraints. "I'm loyal!"

"You are loyal to the traitor Castiel," Michael told him bitterly. "And the Winchesters. The true monsters who destroyed everything we had worked for. You think I never noticed you, Samandriel? Sucking up to Castiel the second Father abandoned us?"

"Castiel was the only one who was kind to me after Father left us," Samandriel told him. "The rest of you treated me like-"

"Like what? The mutt that you were created to be?" Michael asked. "You were created for one purpose, brother, to be a toy, something to cheer Dad up when he got depressed. And when Father left, you were useful to no one."

"Why do you still continue to be jealous of me?" Samandriel asked. "I give you no reason to hate me, or any of my brothers and sisters for that matter."

"Jealous? Because Father created you to be the most adorable creature in creation? I was the most handsome angel, admired by all until you came along," Micheal told him. "The entire host of Heaven once bowed their heads in awe of me when I walked the halls of Heaven, then upon your arrival, it was all "Oh, Samandriel's so adorable! Samdandriel's so cute when he sneezes!" Even in your human form, your cuteness still shines through. You stole my father's love, Samandriel. He loved you more than any of his children. Now I get to take that pain out on you, uninterrupted."

"What about your vessel? And Lucifer?" Samandriel asked as he struggled.

"My vessel spit me out the second we got here," Michael told him. "He was stronger in spirit than I gave him credit for, at least at first. I much preferred his older brother, now that was a vessel that I could really take pride in if the moron has just said 'yes'. As for Lucifer, he's... stepped out for a while, so it's just the two of us."

"And your vessel? Is he-"

"I had considered sparing Adam, perhaps training him as my personal pet," Michael sighed. "We could have gotten along well together, even if he was a human. Until Sam Winchester had been freed, and it reminded me how much those meatbags had destroyed everything that we had worked toward. Because of them, the world continues to live in chaos. A never ending spiral of pain and suffering. Our Father gave that world to those... monkeys and they spat in his face with murder, and rape, and corruption! All we wanted to do was start over, bring peace and paradise to the world, but the Winchesters wouldn't have it. But since I didn't have Sam Winchester to take my vengeance out on anymore, I had to settle for their pathetic little brother.

So, for 240 years, I got my revenge. I destroyed Adam, body, mind, and soul, envisioning Dean Winchester with every cut. I took him apart piece by piece every day, then put him back together so I could start all over again. Until there was nothing left of him to destroy. I left him a quivering mass of jelly, then left his body outside for the Hellhounds, watching them devour his carcass. And now I get to start all over again on you, my traitorous younger brother. We'll just see how adorable you are when I'm done with you."

"Please," Samandriel said. "I'm loyal to Castiel, but he only wants what's best for Heaven."

"He sides with the Winchesters, and anyone who sides with the Winchesters is a traitor," Michael said. "Perhaps I'll start by peeling your flesh from your bones. Start small before I get into the good stuff. You are an angel, even without your grace, so you might still have some fight in you. Let's see how much you can take before you break. Adam's record was 200 years."

Michael was about start the torture when he held his face close to Samandriel's and sniffed. "Your blood, it smells so sweet, almost like-" and that's when his own sword plunged through Michael's chest.

"What in the-" Michael said, his voice filled in shock as the sword was pulled out, just as the Archangel turned around in time to have his head cut off with one swipe. The body fell forward and onto the ground as Michael's head was kicked as far away as it could be. Samandriel's rescuer quickly ran over and started to untie the young angel. Samandriel's rescuer stood there naked, covered head to toe in ash and sulfur, so the main thing the former angel noticed was his savior's big blue eyes.

"You- you're Adam," Samandriel said.

"Glad someone remembers me," Adam said with a smirk. His voice was raspy from there being no water in Hell."Michael's going to pull himself together in a few minutes, so we don't have a lot of time. We have to move now."

Samandriel stood up and looked over at Michael, feeling bad for his fallen brother.

"Come on!" Adam shouted as the body on the floor started trying to pick itself up. Samandriel quickly grabbed his pants and followed Adam.

"How did you survive?" Samandriel asked as hopped along while pulling up his pants. Hell was even worse than he imagined. It had to have been at least a few thousand degrees, and the ground was scorching beneath his bare feet. There was fire and smoke everywhere, making it hard to see.

"I didn't," Adam said as they ran. "That dick with wings tore me apart day after day for 200 years. I had nothing left in me, except for one thing. My hatred for my so called family that left me here to rot, so I started coming up with a plan. If I didn't let him see me show pain, he'd eventually get bored, so I just... forced myself to hold it in for 40 years. I played dead for all that time, never giving him the satisfaction of seeing how much he was getting to one day, he did get bored and tossed me to the Hellhounds, piece by piece. Took me another 240 years to get myself together. Wasn't easy with Hellhounds having eaten most of me, but luckily they have frequent bowel movements, and since no one dies down here..."

"You survived all that?" Samandriel asked.

"I wouldn't call it surviving," Adam said, his voice shaking. "You don't survive something like this. You just... learn to bury it. You don't get past having your flesh peeled off, or your bones broken like pretzels every day. You just... put it in a box and bury it in a hole, and hope it never sees the light of day again. If we do get out of here, I'm going to relive this place every night when I close my eyes, that's if I can ever go to sleep again."

"Why did you rescue me?" Samandriel asked. Before Adam could answer, the growling of a dozen Hellhounds were heard all around them. He swallowed hard, hoping his demise wouldn't be as painful as Adam made it out to be.

"Aw, who's a good Hellhound? Who's a good Hell hound?" Adam asked as he kneeled down to playfully pet them. Samandriel couldn't see the Hellhounds, but Adam could clearly see them in front of him.

"What are you doing?" Samandriel asked.

"These are my pets, I had a few hundred years to train them," Adam said. as he pulled one of them close. It was a baby Hellhound, who was playfully licking Adam's face. He put the baby Hellhound on his back and started rubbing its belly as it started kicking its leg. "This one is my favorite. I call him Jed Stark. By the way, what's your name?"

"Samandriel,"

"Uh uh, I ain't calling you Sam, that's my dickbag brother's name," Adam told him.

"Well, my vessel's name is Alfie...,"

"It'll do, Alfie," Adam told him as he stood up. "Now, haul ass before-"

"ADAM!" Michael's voice shouted furiously from about a mile back.

"I knew I should have kicked his head further away," Adam said. "Run, Alfie!"

"Run where!" Samandriel asked. "We're trapped in the Cage! Speaking of which, how big is this place?"

"Big enough to where we have a head start from Michael," Adam told him. "You're a virgin, right?"

"How does everyone know that?" Samandriel asked.

"It's your blood. Down here it smells... I don't know, sweet, like an orange. It's stronger than the sulfur and smoke. Pure things down here gives off a strong odor. You're our key out of here," Adam told him as they ran, with the Hell hounds running beside them. "You're from Heaven, didn't you know that virgin blood is like gold?"

"In Heaven it never really mattered," Samandriel told him. "The place is crawling with virgins."

"Yeah, well down here, you hear things," Adam said. "There's a reason hell isn't packed to the brim with pure virgins. Virgin blood is like a source of power, it's like well,"

"A special ingredient," Samandriel told him. "It's one of the main keys to dark magics."

"Right," Adam told him. "And in Hell, dark magic is pretty much all there is. Including what I'm about to show you."

* * *

Shortly, the two arrived at the wall blocking the Cage off from the rest of Hell. It was covered in warding symbols and ancient language.

"You can read this?" Samandriel asked.

"Well, no," Adam told him. "But if you hold your ear to the wall, you can hear conversations on the other side, where the demons out there can read what's written. The wall can be opened with the blood of a virgin for a few seconds, at least if what I heard was right. Someone named Crowley kept mentioning how the virgins that do end up in Hell are shipped to the farthest corners just to keep them away from the wall. With your blood, we can pass through it to the other side."

"But the Cage can only be opened by breaking the 66 seals," Samandriel told him.

"That's for the other side of the door," Adam said. "On this side, it's virgin blood that can unlock it from the inside. And since it's impossible to get a virgin into the Cage unless you're really smart or really stupid..."

"I did not know the incantation would lead me here," Samandriel said.

"Well, someone did," Adam told him. "And luckily for us, it was you, virgin buddy. Now we can be free of the Cage."

"But then we'd be in regular Hell, which is populated by demons," Samandriel told him.

"Yes, but the way out of Hell is also over there," Adam said. "My dad climbed out of Hell once. Yeah, he's an asshat that didn't care about me and my mom, but he did it. He got out. And so can we, Alfie. Everyone hates me because I have Winchester blood in me. Hell, I hate me for that fact. Maybe I need to start using that to my advantage."

Samandriel looked up in the air and saw Michael flying toward them with his sword.

"Let's do it," Samandriel said as he found a sharp rock and cut the hand that he'd wounded before. "I hope this works."

Samandriel's hand started bleeding as Adam kneeled down to his Hellhounds, petting them. He looked at Jed Stark with a tear in his eye. Deep down he knew that if he escaped Hell, he wouldn't be able to take his beloved pets with him. "Always remember, Daddy loves you. Now sic him!"

The Hellhounds quickly pounced Michael, biting into him as Samandriel put his hand to the wall. The sigil started glowing as part of the wall crumbled just long enough for Adam to grab his new friend's hand and pull him through. After a few seconds, the wall rebuilt itself before Michael could get away from the Hellhounds.

"Adam, I will get out of here," Michael promised as the wall started to close. "Then you and that traitor will suffer for a million years!"

* * *

"You going to be okay?" Adam asked as the two avoided the demons and other monsters that were walking around in what looked like a large office building. The thing they noticed the most was the large unmoving line of souls that was just standing there.

"Michael was my brother," Samandriel said, fighting back the tears. "Even if he hated me, we are still family."

"He's been trapped in a cage with me and Lucifer for 720 years," Adam reminded him. "Even the strongest soul couldn't survive. Not with all the torture, and fire, and Lucifer's taunting. I thought Micheal was bad, but Lucifer? The things he did to Sam..."

"You seem to have managed pretty well," Samandriel told him.

"Don't be so sure," Adam said. "The only thing that's driving me right now is my hatred for my brothers. The thought of killing those sons of bitches for leaving me here... I want to do to them what Michael did to me, only much worse. Alfie, I'm filled with almost nothing but hate and contempt. That's what this place does to people. I don't know what I'm going to be like once I'm around real people again."

"You will survive," Samandriel assured him as he put a hand on Adam's shoulder. "I wish I had my grace, then I could seal away all that hatred and anger."

"You are so adorable. Stop it, you're going to get us killed," Adam said as a whimpering was heard as Adam looked down and saw Jed Stark staring up at him. Adam picked him up and hugged him tightly. "You made it out? Oh, Daddy's never leaving you again!"

"You're not completely filled with hate, you seem to have affection for that Hellhound," Samandriel told him.

"Maybe you're right," Adam said as he let Jed Stark lick his face. "But still... maybe I shouldn't go back to Earth, just to be safe. I mean, what if I go back, and I snap and start killing innocent people? We should find you a way out, then I'll just... stay here. With Michael locked away, I could probably find a place here."

"Adam, you do not belong here," Samandriel said. "You belong up above. You deserve a chance to live your life, just like Alfie did before he died. Now, let's find a way back to Earth. I believe in you, Adam. I've heard the tales of John Winchester. If his blood flows through your veins, you can do what he did."

Adam tried not to get emotional as he forced a smile. "Come on, let's get the hell out of... Hell."

* * *

 _Now_

"It would be 240 Hell years later that we'd get back to Earth," Adam said as he finished his beer. "150 of those were spent climbing, crawling, and digging our way out of the Pit."

"And the other 90?" Ben asked.

"Running from demons who could smell Alfie's blood," Adam told him. "We had a lot of close scrapes, but eventually we got out of there. Spent a lot of time getting to know each other as well as two guys breaking out Hell can."

"And all while keeping off the King of Hell's radar," Samandriel told him.

"That's the funny thing about me," Adam smirked as he poured another glass. "If I break out of the Cage, no one gives a damn. Lucifer, or Sam, or Michael bust out, everyone loses their mind. I doubt anyone still knows I'm out. And that's what's going to help me kill my brothers when I find them. But back to the story..."

* * *

 _Then_

It was the middle of the night as the ground of the cemetery started crumbling. A hand reached out, grasping at the grass around the hole to get a grip. Soon enough, Adam was pulling himself out of the ground, gasping for air as he dragged Samandriel's body with him. The former angel also began gasping as the two collapsed onto the ground, laughing at having finally escaped Hell. Samandriel had been holding Jed Stark in his arms, who was whimpering as the Hellhound went to lay down next to his master.

"150 years of climbing and digging, but we did it, buddy," Adam truly smiled for the first time in 960 years, while fighting back the tears of joy. His body was sore and couldn't move, but this pain was definitely worth it. "We did it."

"I'll say you did it," a voice said as a group of vampires, who were hanging around the cemetery, took notice of the two young men who had just come up from the ground. The vampire bared his fangs at the meal that had just delivered itself. "And now we're going to do something to you."

The vampire grabbed Adam and slammed him against the wall of the mausoleum by the neck as he bared his fangs, while the other vampires did the same to Samandriel. Both young men were too weak to even move, having just spent the last of their energy to dig their way out of Hell. The two just happened to come up in a cemetery crawling with vampires.

"I was in the mood for delivery, and look what just showed up," the vampire holding Adam said. "A little dirty for my liking, but I can't pass up a free meal."

The monster was about to chow down on Adam's neck when a bright UV light shined on the group. It was very bright, almost making it seem like daytime. The vampire hissed as he was forced to drop Adam to cover his eyes.

"What the hell is that?" the vampire asked as he tried to focus, and in the blurriness of the UV light, he saw something on top of the truck that was parked not too far away. It was two pressurized water cannons. "What's that? Are you going to spray us with holy water?"

The cannons took aim and started spraying the pack of vampires, covering them with dead man's blood. The vampires started howling in pain as two men got out of the armored van with machetes and started beheading the creatures, while Adam and Samandriel just sat there and watched at the violence unfolding in front of them.

When the last vampire had been beheaded, one of the men turned his attention toward the two young men laying against the wall. He walked over and turned Adam's head to check for bite marks, then forced open his mouth to check for hidden then did the same to Samandriel.

"They're clean," the man said as he looked back at the others. The other man who was with him then quickly turned his attention back to Adam and punched him hard enough to knock him out, before doing the same to Samandriel.

"Really?"

"I like to play it safe."

* * *

 _Then_

"I was wondering why you were so dirty and naked when they brought you guys home," Ben said. "Took hours just to get you two cleaned up."

"It honestly felt weird waking up with clothes on after almost 1,000 years," Adam told him.

"You humans are way too modest about your bodies," Samandriel said. His glass of beer was still full as after one sip, he was done. The face he made while tasting that one sip as it soured in his mouth reminded both Adam and Ben that he still held his heavenly title as most adorable angel. "In heaven, our true forms are there for the world to see in all their glory."

"Yeah, well, Hell got a good long look at my glory, I ain't about to give this world the same peep show," Adam said. "So, it was, what a good two weeks later that I finally came around?"

* * *

 _Then_

The nightmares of Hell, and of Michael's torture, were so realistic and constant to the point where Adam was sure that escaping Hell with Samandriel was all just a dream. It wasn't until Adam started to regain consciousness, moving his hand to eyes to rub the sleep out of them, that he realized that he was out of the Cage. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but he felt totally refreshed outside of the nightmares. His body wasn't sore anymore, and as his eyes adjusted to the light coming in through the basement level window, he saw he'd been cleaned and dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Alfie?" Adam asked weakly as he started to sit up.

"Is that your friend's name? He told us it was Samandriel," a voice asked from the staircase. A young woman around the age of 20 walked down the steps with a tray of food. She had long brown hair tied back into a ponytail. "He's been awake for two days. He's upstairs."

"Two days? How long have I been out?" Adam asked as he planted his bare feet on the floor.

"Two weeks," the young woman said as she put the tray of food down in front of Adam. "I don't know what those vampires did to you, but you were barely alive when we found you. You must be-"

Adam saw the food in front of him and started shoveling it into his mouth with his bare hands. Pre-2010 Adam Milligan hated eggs, but now they tasted like heaven to him. After all, he hadn't had food in almost 960 years.

"Starving," the young woman said as she watched Adam devour the food as quickly as he could. "My name is Prue."

"Hi, Prue," Adam said with a mouthful of toast. "Got any butter?"

* * *

After giving Adam time to get dressed, Prue led him upstairs, where Samandriel was sitting at a table with the men who had saved them. He got up and rushed over to Adam, hugging him tightly.

"Okay, okay, I get it, you're glad I'm awake. Going to have to teach you about personal space," Adam told him as he tried to pry Samandriel off of him, staring down at his friend's feet, where he was wearing blue jeans with sandals. "Sandals, Alfie?"

"I spent 240 years walking barefoot through Hell," Samandriel reminded him as he blushed. "Shoes just seem uncomfortable after that."

"Dammit, Alfie, stop being so adorable," Adam told him.

"Good, you're awake," one of the men said as he stood up. Patrick Wheat looked to be in his late 40's to early 50's, with a greying beard to go along with his still partially brown hair. "Now maybe we can make some sense out of the story your friend has been telling us."

"I assume he's talking about climbing out of Hell," Adam said as he looked at Samandriel.

"And about being an angel," Patrick told him. "And, well, just about everything that's come out of his mouth over the last two days."

"Look, my... brother is kind of," Adam started to say as he thought about it. "Sick. Been off his meds for a while. His name is Alfie."

"Shouldn't he be in a nuthouse, talking about angels and climbing out of Hell?" Patrick asked.

"Yeah, well, I spent a lot of time breaking him out because that place wasn't good for him," Adam said. "We were on the run when those vamps caught us. When Alfie says we climbed out of Hell, we climbed out of Hell, which was that hell hole he was stuck in. I take it you guys are Hunters."

"We stick mainly to killing vampires, but yeah," Patrick told him. "How do you know about Hunters?"

"Ran into a couple of douchebags named the Winchesters when I was younger," Adam told him. "Threw me under the bus when it came down to it."

"Yeah, I've heard the tales," Patrick said. "Shame, too, with the crap they get away with, like kick starting that apocalypse. Their daddy must be rolling in his grave. So, tell me, why didn't you two have any i.d. on you when we found you? Or clothes for that matter? There wasn't anything to give us a clue about who you were."

"Had to go off the grid to keep Alfie safe," Adam said. "If they caught us, they'd throw him back into that place, and probably me right alongside him. We had to disappear completely."

"And you ran smack dab into the middle of a group of vamps, just waiting for a meal," Patrick told him. "Good thing we came along when we did."

"Adam, is this truly how long we've been gone?" Samandriel asked as he looked at a calendar on the wall.

"Yeah," Adam said as he looked at it. "Seems like it's been longer, doesn't it? I guess we should thank you guys for saving us, but we really should hit the road as soon as we can."

"Hold up, son, you've been sleeping for two weeks, you need time to get your energy back," Patrick told him. "You and friend are welcome to stay here, provided you earn your keep. The vampire attacks in this town have been getting worse as of late, and we're not about to turn two able bodies away, so you're welcome to stay as long as you need."

"I guess we could hole up here for a while until we know what our next move is," Adam said as he looked at Samandriel.

"Great," Patrick told him. "I'll introduce you to the others shortly. In the meantime, our youngest member will show you around."

"He's too wrapped up in his little project," Prue said. "I can show them around."

"That boy and his car," Patrick sighed. :Adam and Alfie can help you with your chores, You can share your workload with them since you've been doing more than your fair share lately."

"Follow me, boys," Prue said as she motioned for the two young men to follow him. As soon as they were gone, a large man with a goatee looked over at Patrick.

"You seriously going to let those kids stay? This isn't an orphanage! It's bad enough we took that other brat in," Lionel said.

"I'm going to have a talk with that boy after breakfast," Patrick reminded him. "I don't buy a word of Adam's story, but those boys are on the run from something, and we aren't about to turn anyone away in need of help. Right now, they stay. End of story."

* * *

"So, how long have you been here, Prue?" Adam asked the young woman as they walked outside toward the chicken coop. The Hunter's base was located on a small farm not too far from the main city, where they could train and not draw attention to themselves.

"About six years," Prue said as she opened the gate to show them how to feed the chickens. "My parents were killed by vampires, along with my little brother. Patrick and his Hunters took me in and trained me."

"He seems like an okay guy, but that dick with a goatee slugged me that night," Adam told her.

"Lionel? He's harmless," Prue said. "He's just one big old teddy bear once you get to know him. Plus he lost his wife and daughters to monsters. That'll screw with someone's mind losing someone close to you. I know it did with me."

"I had to watch as my mom was eaten alive by a ghoul," Adam told her. "I had to hear her screams before they started in on me."

"How did you survive?" Prue asked.

"I didn't," Adam said as he walked away to feed the chickens. "That was the first time I died."

* * *

Samandriel had gone to fetch a bucket of water when he heard the loud roar of a an engine coming from the barn, where AC/DC was playing full blast. The former angel set the bucket down and walked toward the barn, slowly opening the door and peeking inside. there was a vintage '58 cherry red Impala without wheels sitting up on blocks. The hood was open as a young man was standing over the open hood, tinkering with the engine.

"BEN!" a voice shouted from outside the barn. A young man of about 20, with shaggy black hair raised his head from the engine, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Patrick came in through the other door as Ben rushed to hide the beer he'd been drinking. He turned down the music as Patrick approached him.

"Hey, Pat, what's up?" Ben asked in a calm tone.

"What's up?" Patrick asked. "You've put your chores off on Prue again. You've spent way too much time working on this hunk of junk."

"Hunk of junk?" Ben asked, sounding a little irritated. "This is a vintage 1958 Impala. I have personally restored every piece of this vehicle on my own, with zero help from anyone. I've dug through dozens of junkyards to find the right parts for my baby. She isn't a hunk of junk, she's a work in progress."

"Yeah, well, until you shape up and start doing your share of the chores, you are not to lay eyes on this 'work of progress', is that understood?" Patrick asked. "I am getting really tired of you slacking off. I didn't take you in to let you get lazy, you're here to train and improve your skills as a-"

Ben picked up a knife from the table and flung it across the barn, hitting a vampire target on the door dead center in the throat, barely missing Samandriel. Ben just gave Patrick a smirk as the older man rolled his eyes.

"Chores, now," Patrick said again as he left the barn. As he walked away, Ben mimicked him. "I heard that!"

"Hey, Sammy," Ben said as he saw the other young man in the barn. "Sorry I almost nailed you with that knife. But you gotta admit, that was a damn good shot.'

"Yes, it was," Samandriel smiled as he looked down sheepishly. "Adam is awake. Would you like to meet him?"

"What the hell? I'm kind of eager to meet this guy you've been going on about like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread," Ben told him. "Anyone ever tell you how adorable you are when you smile?"

* * *

Miles away in the city, a vampire nest was sitting in an old abandoned warehouse. The leader of the pack, a man who appeared to be in his early thirties, but was decades older, sat at a table, looking at a map.

"Our inside man did it," William said as he looked around at his group. "We just need the right moment to strike, then those Hunters will be out of our hair for good."

"We going to slaughter them all? What about our inside guy?" one of the vampires asked.

"No one leaves that farm alive," William told them. "No one."

* * *

 _Now_

"I wish someone had told us that the crap was about to hit the fan," Ben said as he took another glass of beer. "Would have made what was about to come a lot easier to swallow."

"Ben, phrasing!" Adam shouted.

 **Next: All Hell Breaks Loose!**


	3. The Ties That Bind

**Supernatural: Wayward Sons #2**

 **"The Ties That Bind"**

William, the leader of the pack of vampires that was feeding off the local town. was resting in his nest with his large number of turned children, getting strength for the next night.

"Those damned Hunters, our numbers have been cut in half," William's second in command, Steve, said. He was a shorter, black man in his thirties who had been with William since before either of them had been turned. "Both food and soldier wise."

"That ends tonight," William said. "If the information our inside person has been giving us is correct, we can wipe out all the Hunters in one blow and be out celebrating by 2."

"You think our mole is right?" Steve asked as William looked into a small room.

"Oh, I know this is our night," William told him as he pointed to someone sleeping on a bed with a chain around his ankle. "As long as we have him. Make sure everything's ready. We leave in an hour, and camp out close to the farm. We strike just after sunset."

* * *

"The farm is surrounded by various demon traps, designed for vampires, demons, shapeshifters and others," Prue told Adam as they walked along. "Rigged stakes, bear traps, demon traps, pits lined with silver bars, and others. There's only one safe path in, and we change it daily to keep the monsters who know where we are guessing."

"Any monsters ever get through?" Adam asked.

"Not yet, but not from lack of trying" Prue told him. "I know you said you hate the Winchesters, but a lot of these traps are ones they personally suggested and spread the word on. They're dicks, but they've moved the Hunting game a lot further in ten years than most Hunters have in their entire lives."

"I still owe 'em for what they did to me," Adam told her as Alfie came up to them, just before Prue could ask just exactly what.

"Adam, I want you to meet someone," Alfie smiled in his own adorable way.

"I feel like I want to hug him when he smiles," Prue said to Adam.

"I know, right?" Adam asked as they followed him.

* * *

"This is it?" Ben asked as he looked Adam up and down. "He looked bigger laying on his back."

"Uh... phrasing? And you are?" Adam asked as the two young men stood outside of the barn while Prue and Alfie watched.

"Name's Ben," Ben said. "Ben Braeden. I'm a Hunter in training."

"I hear Hunters are pretty good," Adam said. "How good are you?"

"I can shoot a fly out from between its wings at twenty yards," Ben replied. "Not that I would ever hurt a fly, mind you. I save that rage for those fanged bastards."

"I think these two are going to get along pretty well," Prue said as she looked at Alfie. "So, Alfie, how long do you and your brother plan on staying?"

"I'm not sure," Alfie told her as he watched Adam make a new friend. "We really have no where to go. I can not return home like this," Alfie said, meaning Heaven. "And Adam is intent on harming his brothers when we find them."

"Don't you mean your brothers, too?" Prue asked.

Before Alfie could answer, Ben took Prue's hand. "We start our training in fifteen minutes. I'm gonna take my girl for a little... quality time before that. You two can hang around here, but don't touch my car, got it?"

"You two are-" Adam asked as he looked between Ben and Prue.

"Got a problem, new boy?" Ben asked.

"No, go ahead," Adam said as he watched them leave, before he turned to Alfie. "How'd he land a girl like that?"

"Unideal situations can form sexual relationships, good or bad," Alfie told him as he heard a soft whimpering.

"I'm not going to ask how you know that," Adam said as he looked around and found Jed Stark hiding around a corner. "I was wondering where you got off to," Adam said as he picked his baby Hellhound up. "I'm glad you're okay, buddy. Look, while we're here, you're going to have to lay low, alright? These guys are Hunters, and I don't want them knowing there's a Hellhound here. So you be good and stay out of sight, okay?"

Jed Stark licked his nose as Alfie looked around. "I do not think it's a good idea to stay here, Adam. We are untrained against vampires."

"Alfie, we spent 240 years defending ourselves against demons, monsters, and lawyers in Hell," Adam told him. "How hard could killing a vampire be?"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Adam was flat on his back, having been slammed to the floor by Patrick as everyone watched. The floor of the barn wasn't padded, with hay in the training circle to help cushion the blow, which it really didn't, it was mostly just to soak up the blood.

"You're dead," Patrick said as he pointed a stick at Adam's throat. "If I were a vamp, your throat would already be in my teeth."

"Yeah, I got that," Adam said as Patrick looked at the small group of Hunters that were in the barn. Adam, Alfie, Ben and Prue were there, as well as Lionel. There were three other Hunters there, as well.

Chad was a former college student, who had a bad run in with a sexy coed who turned out to be a vampire. His first clue to her being a vampire was when she bit off his tongue. Chad was now a mute who only wanted to kill any vampire he came across; Alisha was an older black woman in her early forties who had lost her entire family when ghouls ruined their camping trip, devouring her entire family in front of her, but luckily Patrick had come to her rescue before they did too much damage to her; and Garrett was a man in his late 20's, who would be around Adam's age if Adam hadn't died, come back, died again and spent 960 years in Hell. Garrett had been raised by Patrick since he was a small child when he was the sole survivor of demons slaughtering his family.

The three didn't seem like much, but when it came down to a brawl, they gave as good as they got. Patrick and Lionel had trained them well, and now they were training the next generation, which now looked to include Adam and Alfie.

"Alright, Chad, come on in and show the new meat how it's done," Lionel told him. He gave Adam a harsh glance as he walked past.

"What's his deal?" Adam asked Ben.

"He had an older brother that looked almost exactly like you," Ben said. "Disappeared one night without a trace when Lionel was just a kid. Thinks that a Wraith was behind it, but never found the son of a bitch that made off with him."

"So, what, now he hates me because I remind him of his dead brother?" Adam asked. "I already have two brothers who don't give a damn about me, I don't need it outsourced."

Adam and Ben watched as Alfie got slammed into the floor by Chad. Lionel looked over at them. "Ben, get in there and tag out Alfie. I hate to admit it, but you're the best out of this kindergarten class."

"Gee, thanks," Ben said as he kicked off his shoes and went into the ring. Alfie came back out moments later, holding his sore back.

"You okay?" Adam asked.

"Hell wasn't as painful as this," Alfie told him as he rubbed his back.

* * *

After the training session, Adam, Ben, and Chad were left to clean up the barn while the others headed back to the house. Adam had sent Alfie inside to rest his back after several more beatdowns. Adam himself was back to his body being sore, but he knew he needed the training if he was going to go up against his big brothers.

"So, what's your story?" Adam asked as he looked over at Ben.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ben told him as he stared at the floor, turning his back to Adam. He put a few fingers to the scar on his neck, remembering parts of that horrible night like it was yesterday.

"So, that's your ride?" Adam asked, changing the subject as he swept up around the training ring. "Where'd you manage to get a classic Impala?"

"It was just sitting in a junkyard after my first hunt," Ben told him. "It was a routine ghost exorcism. We were in and out in a few minutes, but when I saw my baby here, I just had to have her. I begged Patrick to help me get it back here. Been working on it for the last two years. Scavenging for parts, restoring her, painting her..."

"You're not sleeping with her, are you?" Adam asked with a smirk.

"You don't sleep with a beauty like this, you make love to it," Ben told him. "And if she was a woman, yes. Yes, I would."

"So, how'd you and Prue end up together?" Adam asked.

"Got trapped in a demon den," Ben said. "We spent six hours locked in a closet while we waited to be rescued. Things kind of... happened."

"You mean you two-"

"Oh, yeah," Ben gave a devious grin. "We really kissed."

"Oh, I thought you had..."

"Oh, that? Yeah, we totally did that later," Ben lied as he continued cleaning. He looked over at Chad. "You okay over there, buddy?"

Chad gave the okay with his fingers as he continued sweeping up the hay.

"Not much of a talker, is he?" Adam asked.

"You wouldn't be either if you got your tongue bit off by a vampire," Ben told him. "Chad's good people, though. We share the same room and dealer."

"Dealer?" Adam asked with a raised eyebrow as Ben pulled out a baggie of weed.

"Hey, we have to pass the time somehow while we're stuck out here in the boondocks," Ben said. "Care for some?"

"No, no thanks," Adam told him. "I think I'll keep all my senses alert, thank you."

"Your loss," Ben told him. "Hey, we're hitting the city tomorrow to see about finally getting the tires for my baby. I get my tires on her and she's ready to roll. Care to ride along?"

"Sure," Adam said, not sure if he was ready to actually be around a large group of people again.

* * *

Alfie had taken a nap on the couch, and he woke up started looking around the living room. He looked at a picture of Patrick with a woman and two twin boys.

"That's Patrick's family," Alisha told him as she stood in the doorway. "Before he fully embraced hunting."

"What happened to them?" Alfie asked.

"He sent them away," Alisha said. "He'd gotten in too deep in this world and decided they were safer elsewhere. Turned out he was wrong. The vampires got ahold of her and sent him her head."

"And the boys?" Alfie asked.

"No one knows," Alisha told him. "He tried to find him, but they vanished without a trace. He's been searching for them for years."

They heard a door opening as Patrick walked in. Alfie quickly put the picture back as the man walked past. "It'll be dark soon, tell the kids to come inside for dinner."

After dinner, Adam, Alfie and Chad were sitting in the living room, watching the news. Adam was trying to catch up on current events over the last few years.

"I don't know what a Bieber is, I just know I want it dead," Adam said as flipped through the channels.

"I believe a Bieber is a small rodent that urinates when frightened," Alfie said. "God was experimenting with a creature like that which could change its sex at will."

Chad just shook his head as he put his headphones on to listen to some music.

* * *

Ben and Prue were making out in the front seat of his car, listening to some music on the radio.

"I thought Patrick said you were grounded," Prue told him.

"He doesn't have to know, does he?" Ben asked as he went back to kissing her, but she pulled away. "What's wrong?"

"Let's go out, leave the farm for the night," Prue told him. "We can hitch a ride to the city and hang out, then be back by dawn."

"I don't know, Patrick's already really pissed at me," Ben said. "And we were going in the morning for my tires, anyway."

"It's just a few hours," Prue told him as she ran a finger down his shirt. "We can have a really great time."

"Okay," Ben smiled sheepishly, melting in her hand just like she knew he would. "I just need to go back to the house to grab my wallet."

"Make it fast," Prue told him. "I'll meet you by the path."

* * *

It was shortly after sunset as Garrett was making sure the traps around the farm were still set. after Prue had reset them earlier in the day. Everything seemed to be in working order as he started to make his way back to the house, which was when he was grabbed by two vampires. William walked up and smacked him hard across the face.

"The traps, you can't be here," Garrett said as William sunk his fangs into the young man's neck. He pulled out as blood dribbled down his chin, then looked at his friends.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone drink up!"

Garrett's mouth was clamped shut as several vampires started searching for veins to drink out of. Within minutes, he'd be drained completely dry.

* * *

Prue was waiting for Ben to get back so they could leave the farm for the night. She turned around to see the sun finally completely disappear over the horizon, and when she turned around she saw the vampires heading toward the house.

* * *

Ben had grabbed his wallet as he headed back downstairs. "You kids play nice, I'll be back later."

"Where are you going?" Adam asked.

"Out," Ben told him as he headed for the door as Chad grabbed his arm."I'll be fine, Chad, I'm just going to hang out with Prue for a little while, I'll be back before you know it,"

"What about the traps?" Adam asked as he turned around from the couch. "Do you know which ones were changed around to keep the monsters out?"

"Prue does, she's the one who reset them this afternoon," Ben said.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Ben," Prue said with tears in her eyes as she ran from the farm as quick as she could. She hoped that Ben would survive, and then they could be together. She had hoped to get him away from the farm before the vampires arrived. She hadn't planned on them showing up this early.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Patrick asked as he saw Ben heading for the door.

"Just... going out for some air," Ben told him. "I'll be back in a bit."

"I don't think so," Patrick told him. "I thought I told you that were grounded-"

Patrick would have finished that thought if William hadn't burst in through the window behind him and sunk his fangs into Patrick's neck as the others watched, frozen in shock.

 **NEXT: Fright Night!**


	4. Between a Fang & a Hard Place

**Supernatural: Wayward Sons #3**

 **"Between a Fang and a Hard Place"**

Patrick Wheat's life flashed before his eyes as the vampire's fangs sunk into his neck, digging deep into his flesh. He remembered being a boy and getting trained by his father to become a Hunter; he remembered meeting his beautiful wife and deciding to leave the life of hunting monsters to settle down, only to find young Garrett and taking him in after the boy had been orphaned; He remembered when he was blessed when his own twin boys were born; He remembered slowly getting back into hunting, even though it was against his better judgement.

Patrick had pissed off several powerful demons and had no choice but to continue hunting, but in the process he had to send his wife and twin sons away. Garrett was old enough to make the choice of staying with Patrick, so the boy began to be trained in the ways of hunting. Then came the day when Patrick received the package with his wife's head in it, but there was no trace of his sons. It was then that Patrick began killing every monster he came across with extreme prejudice, until the day he tracked his wife's killers to a vampire nest in Chicago. Patrick and Garrett had slaughtered all of the vampires there, except for two, which they tortured day and night to find the location of the twins. But the boys had never been found, and Patrick regretted it every day of his life, not knowing whether his sons were dead or alive.

But Patrick Wheat wasn't ready to die at this moment, despite the massive amount of blood he was losing. He reached into his belt and pulled out a knife, stabbing William through the left eye. The vampire roared and pulled his fangs away, but by then it was too late. Patrick was losing a lot of blood, and fast.

Everyone else in the room by this point had gotten past their shock and was grabbing whatever weapons they could find, which was when more vampires burst into the house through whatever openings they could. Doors were kicked in and windows were shattered as the vampires got ready to kill everything in sight.

"How'd they get past the traps!" Lionel shouted as he grabbed his machete.

"Who cares? These bastards are going down!" Ben said as pulled out the largest knife he could find.

"Adam, Alfie, help Patrick!" Lionel shouted as he approached the vampires. "Everyone else, kill these sons of bitches!"

"He's losing too much blood," Adam said as he went to help Patrick, who was now on the ground. "We need to put pressure on the wound. Alfie, get me that blanket!"

"It's too late," Patrick told him as Adam tried to help. Alfie brought him the blanket as Adam tried to stop the blood flow. "Help the others."

"Don't talk like that," Adam said, trying to remember some of his pre-med schooling. He's only gone a few short months, and it had been over 960 years, but he could still recall some of the basics. "You're going to pull through this. There's too many monsters out there that need killing."

One of the vampires was about to pounce Adam, but Chad tackled him onto the couch. Alfie grabbed a lamp and smashed it over the vampire's head, giving Chad enough time to cut its head off with his blade. He smiled and gave Alfie the thumbs up.

"Adam, if I don't make it," Patrick said as he tried to stay awake. "I need you to do something for me. Find my sons. Make sure they're alright."

"Where?" Adam asked. "I don't-"

"John Winchester," Patrick told him as he started to feel the life leaving his body. "Storage bunker... could never find... left clues before he died."

"Where do I even start looking for this bunker?" Adam asked as he felt Patrick's pulse. Adam let out a deep breath and closed Patrick's eyes so he could be at peace. "I'll find them, Patrick."

Elsewhere in the room, Alisha took a swipe at the vampire's head, cutting it clean off. Lionel finished off the vampire he was fighting, sending its headless body to the ground as the fight ended. Lionel then looked over at Adam sitting by Patrick's body, holding his hand.

"Is he-"

Adam just nodded sadly as everyone gathered around, bowing their heads in silence. After a few moments, Ben picked his head up and realized something.

"PRUE!" Ben shouted as he headed for the door, but Alisha grabbed his arm.

"You can't go out there, there could be more!" Alisha told him.

"Garrett's not here, either," Alfie told them. "Do you think they were..."

"No, they have to be alive," Ben said as he pulled away from Alisha. "I'm going to find her!"

As Ben got to the door, a bright light flashed into the room, temporarily blinding everyone. When they were able to see again, they saw several pick-up trucks sitting outside, loaded with vampires.

"That was just the first wave, there's at least two dozen out there," Lionel said. "We can't fight that many."

"Isn't there any other way out of here?" Adam asked.

"Underground escape tunnel, leads into the sewers," Lionel told them. "It'll take you into the city. Get going, I'll hold them off."

"They'll slaughter you!" Ben told him.

"Without a doubt, but it'll buy you enough time to make a break for it," Lionel said as he looked at Alisha. "Keep these kids safe."

"Let's go," Alisha said. "We'll go into the city. I have an idea."

"Adam," Lionel said as he looked at the young man. "My boy... he was a good kid, you remind me a lot of him. He was going to be a great Hunter. The rest of these kids, they look up to you. You protect them like they were you own flesh and blood, you hear me?"

"I will, sir," Adam said as he followed the others. Lionel looked out towards the swarm of vampires and grabbed another machete.

"Alright, you want a piece of me!" Lionel shouted as he walked outside into the bright lights shining at him. "Come get a taste!"

* * *

Alisha had led the others to the tunnel leading into the sewer system, heading into the city.

"We need to pick up a few supplies, we're finishing this tonight," Alisha told the boys.

"You going to be okay?" Adam asked Ben.

"I love her, Adam," Ben said, his voice shaking. "For the first time since I joined up with Patrick's group... I was happy. I wasn't angry at the world, I wasn't looking to charge into danger because I didn't care. She made me want to be a better Hunter... a better person."

"Maybe her and Garrett got away," Adam said. "Maybe they saw how outnumbered we were and went to get help."

* * *

Prue had arrived at the vampire nest, having been there before. When William had offered to make a deal weeks earlier.

* * *

"The Hunters are starting to piss me off," William told Prue. "We're only picking off random people, the ones who won't be missed. It's not like we're eating nurseries."

"You're vampires," Prue told him. "Monsters."

"Monsters?" William laughed. "Would monsters offer you something in exchange for helping get your friends off our backs?"

"You have nothing to offer me," Prue said as William smirked. He snapped his fingers as a fifteen year old boy a burlap sack over his head was brought out. The sack was removed as Prue gasped. "Connor?"

"We rescued your kid brother from another nest a few towns over," William told her. "They were using him to feed off of over the last few years."

"Prue?" the boy asked with tears in his eyes, having not seen his sister in six years. "Is that you?"

"You help us, we help you," William said as the sack was placed back on the boy's head as he was dragged away again.

"What do you want?" Prue asked with tears in here eyes as William just leaned forward.

"I'll tell you..."

* * *

"Hello?" Prue asked as she walked around the nest. They must have taken the entire pack out to the farm, meaning the place was empty. "Is anyone here?"

If the place was empty, she could free her brother and they could leave without anyone knowing. Then she could find Ben and pretend that she saw the vampires and went to get help. Ben would never have to know she betrayed him if he was still alive. No, of course he had to be alive. Ben was one of the best Hunters Patrick had. By now, Ben probably had killed a dozen vampires on his own. He was still alive, and she'd find him in the morning.

"Connor?" Prue asked as she found a locked door. She kicked it open and found a boy laying on a bed, moaning in pain. "Are you okay?"

She sat down on the bed and put a hand on him as he rolled over. "Starving..." the boy said as Prue saw the fangs protruding from his mouth.

"No," Prue said as she stood up and backed away. "NO!"

* * *

"Where are they!" William shouted as he smacked Lionel. The man was being held on his knees by several vampires. Before they had managed to catch him, Lionel had slaughtered a good eight vampires on his own. "Where are the others?"

"Taking turns with your mom," Lionel said as he spit at William.

"We destroyed the entire house, they're not here," Steve told him. "And all the vehicles are accounted for."

"They must have an escape tunnel," William said. "Feed and gather your strength, my children, we're about to go on a hunt!"

The vampires circled around Lionel and started feeding as the man just started laughing, not giving them the pleasure of screaming for them.

* * *

"You sure this is going to work?" Adam asked Alisha as they came up out of the sewers.

"We know where their nest is, but we've been trying to drive down their numbers before we made a full assault on them," Alisha said. "But now it looks like we have no choice. We must end this tonight. You, Chad and I will get the supplies. Ben and Alfie will go to the nest and keep a lookout. Be careful."

"You, too," Ben told her as the group parted ways.

* * *

"We have all of their scents," William said as the trucks headed back to the city. "We can track every one of them down easily."

"Do you still want to kill them all?" Steve asked.

"No," William told him. "I want the one they can call Ben, and the woman left alive. We'll turn them and use their fighting skills to help bring in more people and rebuild our family. Kill the rest."

* * *

Ben led Alfie to the nest, where they carefully made their way in.

"They're not back yet," Ben whispered as they looked around. "The second you see them coming, run. We're not here to fight, we're just here to keep a lookout."

"Good, because I'm not much a fighter," Alfie told him. Even if he had his grace, he was never very good at hand to hand combat.

"Yeah, I realized that earlier," Ben said as he heard a noise. "What was that?"

They followed the noise down the hall and looked into the room, where Prue was holding Connor.

"Prue!" Ben shouted as he ran to her. "I thought you were-" That's when Ben noticed the fangs in Connor's mouth and pulled out his machete.

"Ben, no!" Prue shouted. "This is my little brother, Connor. He's alive, but... they turned him."

"He's one of them, he has to be put down," Ben told her.

"He's not one of them, he still hasn't fed yet," Prue said. "He can still be good, I know he can."

"No vampire in the history of ever has ever turned out to be good," Ben said as he calmly approached her. "Connor is dangerous, Prue, you have to let me... wait, what are you doing here?"

* * *

The pack had split up, following different scents. One group followed Alisha, Adam and Chad to the mortuary, where they were loading up on as much dead man's blood as they could. Adam had a backpack full of several jars of it.

"I hope this works," Adam said.

"We should still have enough time to sneak into the nest and put the dead man's blood into the sprinkler system," Alisha told him. "We'll set it off just before dawn. Between that and the sunlight if they try to run, we'll have them weakened enough to have a fighting chance."

"Yeah, except there's not going to be anyone left at dawn," Steve said as the group of vamps stood behind him. "Kill the boys, but leave the woman alive per William's orders."

Adam just looked at Chad, exchanging glances as they held onto their machetes.

* * *

"Prue, listen to reason," Ben said as she backed toward the door with Connor. "He's going to feed soon, and then he can't be helped at all. There's a vampire cure, but it's back at the farm. We can-"

"I love you, Ben, but I can't drag you into this," Prue told him. "I have to help Connor on my own. I'll prove to you that he's not a monster."

"So hungry," Connor said as he held onto his sister.

"It's alright, Connor, we'll get you some help," Prue told him, not realizing William was standing behind her. He bared his fangs and tore into her neck to feed.

"NO!" Ben screamed as he ran forward with his machete, but William backhanded him hard against the wall before he went back to feeding on Prue. As Ben hit the wall, being knocked unconscious, his machete stuck itself into the wall, just hanging there.

"No, that's my sister!" Connor shouted as William laughed.

"And she was delicious," William said as he let her body fall. "Do you want some, Connor? You must be very hungry, and you have to feed."

"You bastard," Connor said with tears in his eyes.

"Oh well, it's too late. Her blood is already becoming toxic," William said as he looked at Alfie. "But there's a nice, fresh piece of meat right there."

* * *

The pack of vampires were laying headless around the mortuary floor. Adam, Chad, and Alisha were blood splattered as Alisha was on the floor, leaning against the wall.

"My leg," Alisha said as Chad tried to help her up. The bone was sticking out of it as Chad tried to pick her up off the ground. "We must hurry to the nest. They'll be going after the others."

"Get her to a doctor," Adam said as he picked up the backpack. "I'll finish this."

"You can't go alone," Alisha told him.

"I have no choice, my best friend is in danger," Adam said. "Chad, take care of her. If I survive, I'll check in soon."

Chad just nodded as he carried Alisha out the door into the night. Adam looked at the backpack full of jars of dead man's blood and knew what he had to do to save his new friends.

* * *

The vampires had tied Ben up and forced Alfie onto his knees, ripping his shirt off his body to expose his flesh to Connor, who could hear the former angel's blood pumping.

"Go on, son," William said, whispering into Connor's ear. "The first time is always hardest, but take your time and enjoy it. This one's blood looks especially sweet and juicy."

"I can't," Connor said, trying to fight the hunger. "Please."

"You can't ignore your instincts," William told him. "You know you want to. Here, let me give you a push."

William pulled out a knife and slowly cut across Alfie's chest, letting some blood flow out. Connor's heart raced as his fangs started protruding as the hunger started to take control.

"Connor, no!" Ben shouted.

"I'm sorry," Connor said with tears in his eyes.

"HEY!" a voice shouted from the doorway. Everyone turned their attention to the door, where Adam was covered from head to toe in dead man's blood, while holding the largest, sharpest machete he could find on short notice. "You sons of bitches want to dance? LET'S DANCE!"

 **Next: Adam lets off some steam!**


	5. Ballroom Blitz

_Five Minutes Earlier_

Adam found the vampire nest, and after swiftly beheading the two vamps keeping guard at the front door, made his way in. He heard voices coming from down the hall, hoping he still had time to save his friends. That's when he heard Alfie scream in pain, and something in Adam just snapped. He tossed off his jacket and kicked away his shoes as he opened the backpack, which was filled with jars of dead man's blood. Adam started pouring the liquid over himself, jar by jar, getting every inch of his hair, body, and clothes saturated so that any vampire that tried to touch him would be instantly repelled.

Adam Milligan was pissed off, and he was about to let 960 years of pent up rage from his time in Hell loose on anything that crossed him.

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #4**

 **"Ballroom Blitz"**

Saying the name 'John Winchester' to different people will get wildly different reactions. To say it to Sam & Dean Winchester, you'll get a look of respect for their father; Bobby Singer would have given you a look of John having been an idjit, but an idjit who got the job done; Depending on which other Hunters you talked to, you'd get anything from respect to downright loathing. John Winchester was an unpredictable man, who did unpredictable things to finish the mission.

But say the name to Adam Milligan, and you'll get a reaction that's a combination of sheer hatred and disappointment. In the nineteen years he'd been alive before a ghoul ate him, he'd met his biological father a grand total of six times, and that was only one day at a time, sometimes even for just a few short hours.

John would show up, take Adam for ice cream or to a ball game, teach him a few things like how to hustle pool or poker, shoot a gun or learn to drive the Impala, and then just disappear into the sunset again. Adam's mother never had any contact with John, only Adam. Adam's mother was too busy providing for her son since John was too much of a deadbeat to even stick around to see Adam's baseball games, or see his volunteer work at the hospital. By the time Adam was 16 he wanted nothing to do with John Winchester, which worked out because John had stopped coming around when he was fifteen.

So when Adam was put onto the rack while in the Cage and tortured by the Archangel Michael, it wasn't the pain of torture that got to him, it was the comparisons to his father and brothers. Michael took every opportunity to remind Adam that he was nothing like John, Dean, or Sam. Even if he had been raised by John, he'd still be the runt of the family.

So, every day for 240 years, Adam started repressing his rage, knowing he could do nothing about it. Perhaps Michael was right, he was nothing like John or his older brothers. Perhaps there wasn't something in him that could kill monsters if he had to.

* * *

There were no words, no witty retorts, no sarcastic comments. As Adam Milligan charged into the fight against the pack of vampires, Adam was letting ounce of rage that he'd been building for 960 years out. He felt it when the machete hit the first vampire's neck, chopping it clean off and sending it flying, and the feelings of rage only increased from there. There were over a dozen vampires in the room, and the second they saw Adam standing in the doorway, drenched in dead man's blood, they knew that they were about to come up against a force they'd never seen before. To even try to touch Adam would burn them severely, as the dead man's blood had been soaked in his hair, body, and clothes.

As Adam cut through the vampires, one by one, beheading them one at a time without remorse, Alfie quickly rushed over to untie Ben's hands.

"Is he going to be okay?" Ben asked.

"I've never seen Adam this angry, it's kind of scary," Alfie told him.

Meanwhile, Connor was fighting his hunger as he fell to his knees, holding his stomach. He had to feed, but he didn't want to kill to do it.

"Alfie, get Connor out of here," Ben told him as he pulled off his jacket so Alfie could put it on and cover his wound.

"But he's a vampire," Alfie said. "I thought you were going to-"

"Just get him somewhere safe, and don't let him feed," Ben said. "I'll help Adam."

Adam was a ball of pure rage at this point, just killing anything that came at him. A vampire came running at him as he just swung his machete, sending the vampire's head flying into the air, landing in William's hands. By this time, the leader of the pack was the only one left as Adam came charging at him.

"Adam, stop!" Ben shouted as he grabbed Ben's arm. "We need him alive! Or undead, or whatever the hell he is! We need his blood for a cure!"

"A cure? For what?" Adam and William asked in unison.

"Prue's brother was turned," Ben told him. "There's a cure for vampirism, but we need the blood of the guy who turned him, and we have to do it before Connor feeds. Please, Adam. Prue is dead, but I can still save her brother."

Adam looked at William with an intense hatred in his eyes as he pointed his machete at him and said through gritted teeth. "You got lucky."

"Did I?" William asked as he started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Adam asked angrily.

"You killed my pack, but at least I know I can do one last thing to make you both suffer," William told him.

"And what's that?" Adam asked.

William spread his arms out to his sides and fell backwards onto Ben's machete that was sticking out from the wall.

"NO!" Ben shouted as William's head hit the blade, severing itself from his body. The head rolled as it hit the floor as Ben started breathing heavily, falling to his knees. "No."

* * *

After making a sweep of both the warehouse and the farm, the three young men returned to the house with Connor in tow, wrapped in chains as they towed him along behind them. As Adam headed upstairs to take a shower, Ben looked at Alfie.

"I can't kill him," Ben said. "Prue-"

"Prue was a traitor," Alfie reminded him. "She is the one who gave the vampires access to the farm. She's the reason all of our friends are dead."

"She did it to save her brother," Ben told him."I know it was wrong, but... he's all I have left of her. I loved her, Alfie."

"We will discuss it when Adam returns," Alfie told him. "Perhaps we can still use the cure to help Connor."

"It only works if we have the blood of the guy who turned him," Ben said. "And William's dead. His blood is of no use to us now. If we turn Connor loose, he's going to feed and kill someone. What am I supposed to do?"

* * *

Adam was cleaning the blood off of his body in the shower, letting the combination of dead man's blood and vampire blood swirl down the drain as he rested one hand against the shower stall. He was trying to focus, but could only think of the intense rage that he had shown back at the nest. What if he had turned that rage on Ben, or even worse, Alfie? Alfie, the sweetest, purest person he knew. The one person he'd come to care for more than anything in the world. Just the thought of harming his best friend...

Adam angrily punched at the wall, causing his knuckles to begin bleeding, but he couldn't feel the pain, or anything at the moment. The rage soon turned to tears as Adam cried for several minutes, afraid of what his time in Hell had turned him into.

* * *

It was two days later, after Alisha had been released from the hospital. Her leg was broken, so now she was using a crutch to walk until she healed. The bodies of Patrick, Lionel, Garrett, and Prue were being burned on separate fires, as it was Hunter tradition. Adam, Alfie, Ben, Chad, and Alisha were mourning their friends with Connor having been chained up in the barn.

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Adam said to Alisha. "He's a monster."

"A monster who showed restraint by not killing Alfie," Alisha reminded him. "He can not be cured, but he can be saved. We're going to try this little experiment and if it doesn't work, then we will go to more extreme methods."

Connor had been chained to the wall, his arms bound as he was free to walk around otherwise. Chad had gotten some fresh cow's blood from the butcher shop downtown and was slowly feeding him.

"Animal blood seems to be working," Ben said as he watched. "Think that'll keep him from going after human blood if he's released?"

"Time will tell," Alisha told him. "He has expressed interest in becoming a Hunter. With his strength and speed, he could do well."

"Alfie and I are hitting the road," Adam told her. "It's time I started tracking down my family, and I promised Patrick I'd find his sons."

"And I'm going with them," Ben told Alisha. "It's time I started looking for my mom. Plus I need... time away from this place. After Prue, I just..."

"I understand," Alisha said as she hugged him. "I'll give you a list of Hunter contacts that you can call on if you need help along the way."

"Thanks, I'll need them to help train these two," Ben told her. "We'll be back around these parts someday, I promise," Ben then looked over at Chad. "You take care of her, okay? And if you two need me, you call, got it?"

Chad nodded as he hugged Ben tightly. Adam shook Chad's hand and patted him on the shoulder.

"See you around, buddy," Adam told him as he walked over to Connor. "As for you, you be on your best behavior for my friends, understand? If I hear you're making any kind of trouble, I'll come back and cut your head off myself."

"I don't want to be a monster," Connor promised him. "If I ever do become one, I do want you to kill me, Adam. Promise me you'll kill me if I turn evil."

"Oh, I promise," Adam told him as he turned to walk away. Ben's cherry red Impala was sitting outside, having just been completed that morning. "You two ready to hit the road?"

"Where's our first stop?" Ben asked as he got into the driver's seat. Alfie got into the back, petting Jed Stark, as Adam rode shotgun.

"Let's just see where the road takes us," Adam smiled as he cranked up the radio for AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' to blast through the speakers. The trio waved goodbye to Alisha and Chad as the Impala started heading down the dirt path of the farm.

* * *

 _Things to come..._

"Well, well, look who got out of the Cage," a familiar voice said with a grin as he read a mock newspaper about Alfie and Adam's escape from Hell. The paper was hiding the reader's face. "And look who's joined up with his little group. You know, I might be able to use some time off, and these clowns are just the guys who can help me win my free vacation."

* * *

 _Hell_

Crowley, the King of Hell, marched down a long hallway with his demon assistant walking right behind him.

"Samandriel? Here?" Crowley asked angrily. "How did I not know this?"

"Apparently he crossed over from Purgatory," the demon assistant said. "And then... he climbed out of Hell."

"Crafty little bugger," Crowley said. "Is that all?"

"He... took someone with him," the demon said as Crowley stared at him. If he told him that the Winchester's brother had escaped from Hell, the King would surely snap his neck at 'Winchester'. "Oh, but it wasn't anyone important, his name wasn't even in our files. Just some ordinary Joe that died young."

"In my experience, ordinary Joes can become huge problems," Crowley told him. "Find out who escaped, then I will decide if they are important enough to pursue. And bring me Samandriel, alive. I want to know how Heaven's most adorable angel managed to get out of my kingdom so easily. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an interrogation to perform."

Crowley entered the torture chamber, where a demon possessed woman was strapped to a chair.

"Don't get too comfy, love," Crowley told him. "It's about to get much worse."

"My King, I thought you knew about this," the woman told him. "Did no one tell you?"

"I have been... busy over the last few years," Crowley said as he picked up a demon killing blade. "Building my empire, losing my empire, having to rebuild my empire. So certain bits of trivia have managed to elude me. But this piece of knowledge? Tell me, how did this THIS manage not to make my radar?"

"I don't know, my King, but I am so sorry, it'll never happen again," the woman said, gasping for air as Crowley cut along her skin.

"Oh, I know it won't," Crowley told her as he sat down in a chair in front of her. "Now, I'm going to get my jollies and poke and prod you regardless. I'm the King of Hell, after all, it's what I do. But before that, we are going to have a nice long chat, and you're going to tell me a fascinating story about love and loss, and a mother's sacrifice. You're going to tell me the story of how you managed to conceive the bloody Anti-Christ!"

 **Next: The boys take some time to rest up in a small town, where a familiar face recognizes Alfie, but is he friend of foe? And does that black Impala look familiar?**


	6. The Lonely Tale of Ben Braeden

The Alfred Hitchcock Show theme song started playing as a chubby man stepped into a silhouette. The scene that switched to the same chubby man with black hair sitting in front of a campfire in Purgatory.

"Hello, boys and girls," Metatron said with a smile. "Bet you thought I was dead. Seriously, who really dies in this universe? I mean, that little twirp Samandriel managed to be popular enough to come back, so you shouldn't be shocked that someone like me would end up finding his way back in some form as well. Anyway, enough of this meta stuff, let's cut right to the chase.

I love stories. I love all kinds of stories, no matter how big, no matter how small. Why, I'll bet I've even read _your_ story when I was running Heaven. Of course, in this place, there are no stories to read, which makes it less like Purgatory and more like Hell, but I digress. I've read countless stories over the years, but there's one story that I hope to one day finish reading. It's kind of like a side story to the the whole Winchester saga. It's the story of a young man who just wants to be loved, and is filled with more adventure and drama than you can shake a stick at. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you..."

 **Metatron Presents**

 **A Metatron Production**

 **Metatron's**

 **"The Lonely Tale of Ben Braeden"**

 **As told by Metatron**

 _Several Years Ago_

Ben Braeden stared out of the classroom window while he sat in class, having taken notice of an Impala that had driven by just moments earlier. He couldn't explain it, but it had always been his dream to own an Impala, despite the fact that he had never, to his knowledge, even ridden in one.

That didn't stop Ben from having dreams of having been inside of his dream car. Dreams that were a little too realistic at times. Sometimes late at night, Ben would have visions of that car, and of the two older men that owned it. A strawberry blond guy with a love of classic rock, and his taller brother who always had a grim look on his face. He recognized the blonde as the man who had caused him and his mother to get into an accident months earlier, but the taller man he'd never seen before. Both were frequent visitors in his dreams ever since that night of the car accident.

* * *

It had been a year since the dreams started for Ben. Dreams of monsters, demons, and other creatures of the night, with the one constant being the strawberry blonde haired man who was always there, fighting them. There was no name to go with the man, but Ben didn't mind. The guy seemed mysterious and cool, almost like a superhero. A superhero with a cool jacket and a love of classic rock.

Even with graduation being a few years off, Ben knew that college wasn't for him. Money was tight with it just being him and his mother, and Ben was more of a street smart type than the type who liked hitting the books. He was the kind of guy who enjoyed listening to classic rock while working on cars in shop class. He'd taken it upon himself to learn everything he could about cars and how they worked, even taking a part time job at the local garage, where he was hoping to make it a full time summer job.

"Ben, I wish you'd at least consider community college," Ben's mother Lisa told him as they walked home from dinner one night during seventh grade. "You could go farther in life with a degree."

"Aw, Ma, you know I wouldn't able to hack it in college," Ben told her. "Working in a garage is what I love. Mr. Kripke said I'm a natural at fixing cars. Said I could be running the place within a few years if I worked hard at it, says I'm better than any guy he has working there now."

"Ben, I just want more for you out of life," Lisa sighed as they walked. "Like maybe being a doctor, or a lawyer."

"What, you sayin' you're not proud of me for wanting to be a mechanic?" Ben asked as they cut through an alley.

"No, I'm just saying-" Lisa said before the two stopped and looked at what was ahead of them. A recently deceased body was splayed on the ground, with two people sitting over it, draining what blood they could from it. They turned their heads up as fangs retracted back into their mouths.

"Bad timing," one of the vampires said as the mother and son stood there, frozen in fear.

"RUN!" Lisa shouted as she pushed Ben to get away. Neither of them got far as they tried to run. Ben almost made it out of the alley as he felt a sharp pair of teeth dig into his neck, then all he saw was darkness...

* * *

"The kid was nearly drained of all his blood," the doctor said as he looked into the room where Ben Braeden was clinging to life. "He's lucky to be alive."

"And the mother?" Bobby Singer, the Hunter posing as the FBI agent, asked. He'd learned about what happened to Ben and his mother first, and was going to make sure that Dean would never hear of what happened, or else he'd blame himself for walking away.

"She's vanished without a trace," the doctor said. "We can't find any family to contact for him. If this kid survives, and unless we locate his mother, he's all alone. We'll have to contact social services."

"The kid going to be okay?" Bobby asked. "Is he going to wake up?"

"Time will tell," the doctor told him. "Time and a lot of blood transfusions."

* * *

As Ben slept, the memories buried deep in the back of his head started to merge with the memories at the forefront. The angel Castiel had been told to wipe all memories of Dean Winchester from Ben's mind, as well as his mother's, but Castiel was worried for the boy, and leaving him unprotected from a world that would most likely come at Dean through him and Lisa one day.

So, as Cas put a finger to Ben's head to cleanse his memory, he merely pushed all memories of Dean and his life back into a locked box, leaving open the possibility of someday regaining those memories if he needed Dean's knowledge of the supernatural. So as Ben slept, the locked box popped open in his mind, letting just enough knowledge escape. While memories of Sam and Dean themselves were still buried, the knowledge that real monsters were out there began to flow back to him.

* * *

Ben gasped for air as he sat up in his bed. It was late at night, and there was a thunderstorm happening outside. The young man looked around, seeing hie had wires and monitors attached to him, quickly pulling them off. He tried to stand up, but quickly fell to the ground, his legs having not been used in quite some time.

The boy struggled to crawl forward, not knowing what was going on as he made his way to a wheelchair in the corner, pulling himself up into it. He had tears in his eyes by the time he got all the way up into the chair. Luckily the small hospital he'd been transferred to six months earlier was short staffed, and he was easily able to wheel himself down the hall, wondering which room his mother was in. As he rolled down to the empty nurse's station, where the nurses were on break at the time, he caught glimpse of the calendar.

A year and a half. He'd been asleep for a year and a half. The last thing he rememered was being attacked by something in the alley. That's when he realized what they were. Vampires. And if they'd bitten him, then-

"Mom," Ben said as he rifled through the patient files on the desk. "Mom, where are you?"

Ben finally came across the file with his own name on it, and carefully opened it. While his accident had been written off as a mugging/stabbing, he looked for anything about his mother.

"Lisa Braeden... missing," Ben said as he looked up. By the time the nurses got back to the station, Ben was already gone.

Having passed another patient's room, Ben took the chance to steal some clothes, which he had in his lap as he wheeled his way out of the hospital during the storm. He needed a place where he could lay low until he could get his legs to work again, plus he was starving. There had to be a place to get something to eat.

He passed by a vending machine and heard his stomach growl. He had no money, but as he sat there, a memory crept through his mind about how to get free food from vending machines, something he didn't even remember knowing. But there the knowledge was, telling him how to do it. A short while later, Ben had found an empty auto garage and found a way in, holding both his stolen clothes and a lap full of snacks.

After filling his stomach, Ben stared down at his toes, trying to force them to move.

"Come on, I've seen Kill Bill enough times to know how to do this," Ben said to himself. "Move, dammit."

It took over an hour, but finally got his big toe to slightly move.

"This could take longer than I thought."

* * *

It took several weeks, and a lot vending machines to keep him fed, but Ben finally got his legs working again. Using the garage as a temporary home, Ben tried to search high and low for his mother, turning up nothing while avoiding the police and other authority. Three months later and he still hadn't found anything. It was like his mother had dropped off the face of the earth.

One night while Ben was sleeping in a makeshift bed made out of old blankets, t-shirts, and anything else soft he could find, he heard a noise coming from outside. He got up and looked out the window, seeing a young woman running through the alley while being chased by a group of men.

Ben grabbed a ball bat before pulling on a shirt and ran out the door to help the girl out. By the time he caught up, the girl had been cornered.

"Don't worry, I'll save you!" Ben said as he swung, but the person he was aiming for caught it in one hand with superhuman strength. He gave a good push, sending Ben flying onto his back. "What are you?"

The man turned his head, showing a mouth full of fanged teeth. Ben knew immediately what it was as the man picked Ben up by his shirt.

"I like my meat nice and tough," the vampire said with a laugh. "You look like you'll make a good meal."

"Good luck eating without a throat," the girl said as she stabbed a knife right through his neck, making him drop Ben. The vampire stumbled around as the girl pulled out a large machete from behind her back and swiftly decapitated another vampire. The others rushed toward her as Ben just looked up from the ground, wondering just what the hell was going on. Within moments, all fo the vampires were dead as the girl held out her hand. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Ben said as he stood up. "Your name's not Buffy, is it?"

"It's Prue," she said.

"Ben," the boy replied as a bright light shined into the alley. "More vampires?"

"No," Prue told him. "Just back-up that's late."

* * *

"So, you've been living in this garage this whole time?" Patrick asked as he looked around Ben's current home.

"Just until I can afford a penthouse," Ben said as he got dressed in day clothes. "I'm trying to find my mom. We were attacked by vampires almost two years ago. I was left in a coma, and when I woke up... there's been no trace of her."

"Sometimes vamps take humans back to their nest to feed off of for a while," Patrick told him. "The chances are slim, but she might be alive."

"I need to find her," Ben said. "Can you help me?"

"We'll try," Patrick said as he looked at the boy. "But you can't stay here. You'll come back to the farm with us, where you'll train, maybe pick up some skills. There's a lot you don't know about what's out there."

Ben stood there, getting a quick flash as he held his head in pain. Flashes of a book he read at one point, a journal. The name John Winchester quickly flashed in his mind as the memory came back. "Vampires can only be killed by cutting their head off, they're allergic to dead man's blood and sunlight can slow them down, but won't kill them."

"How did you know that?" Patrick asked as Ben looked up at him, his voice shaking as he talked to the older man.

"I don't know,"

* * *

"Welcome to the club, new meat," Garrett said as he slapped Ben on the back as she showed him upstairs to his room. "My room's right across the hall. You'll be bunking with Chad, he's new to the club, too. Don't let him talk your ear off, kid."

Half an hour later, Ben and Chad were just staring at each other as each one sat on his bed. It was a staring contest at this point, with neither young man saying a word for a very long time. It took a while, but Ben finally broke.

"So, uh, what do you for fun around here?" Ben asked as Chad just smirked at him.

* * *

It was nearly midnight as Ben and Chad were laying on the roof just outside of their bedroom window, smoking a joint as they stared into the sky. It wasn't Ben's first time lighting up, as he'd tried it before, just weeks after the car accident.

"My mom's out there somewhere," Ben said as he took another hit, his mind finally clear of the anxiety he'd felt since he woke up in the hospital. "I'm going to find her, and then I'm going to make the bloodsuckers that took her pay. How about you, Chad? Got any big plans?"

Chad just silently sighed as he looked up into the sky, thinking about what he wanted to do with his life beyond hunting. Ben just sat up on his shoulder and stared over at him.

"I like you, Chad," Ben said. "It'll be nice having a brother type figure around, you know?"

Chad just smiled as Ben lay back and smoked some more. As he cleared his mind, he found that more memories he didn't know he had were coming back. More details about more monsters were becoming clear to him.

* * *

In the training circle the next day, Chad body slammed Ben onto the ground. "WHY!?"

"You gotta learn to how fight, kid," Patrick told him. "You want to save your mom You gotta put the work in and show those vamps who's the boss. Build your skills and kick their ass when the time is right!"

"Build my skills, huh?" Ben asked. "Maybe I will."

* * *

"I can't believe you talked him into letting you bring that piece of crap here," Garrett said as he looked at the rusted out Impala sitting in the middle of the barn. "You'll never get that thing to run."

"It's a fixer upper, yeah," Ben told him. "But there's a junkyard within walking distance that I can scour for parts, and I know a lot about cars. The rest I can just look online for info on. By the time I'm done, this baby will be perfect."

* * *

Over the next few months, Ben poured everything he had into training while also building his dream car. He trained harder than anyone at the farm, and even put in extra hours to hone his skills. Eventually he learned how to handle knives, bows, and guns, outshining everyone else, even Patrick and Lionel.

Ben was also starting to grow closer to Prue as the time passed. What started out as friendship quickly became something much more, until one night late in the barn when the two had decided to meet in private.

"It's time, Ben," Prue as they were kissing passionately.

"Time for what?" Ben asked as she started unbuttoning his shirt. "What are you doing? It's cold out here."

"Ben, don't you want me?" Prue asked.

"Of course," Ben smiled. "I'm really falling for you."

"Then take me," Prue told him.

"Take you where? The Impala's not ready yet," Ben said as Prue just stared at him.

"Do you not know what sex is?" Prue asked as Ben's eyes widened, suddenly getting it.

"Prue, I like you, but... I'm not ready for that," Ben told her. "Oh, God, don't hate me. It's just...I think you're special, and a special girl needs a special place, not in some crappy ol' barn."

Prue just stared at him. "You... you are not like any boy I've ever met, Ben Braeden. Who are you?"

"I'm just a boy, falling in a love with a girl," Ben said as he stared down. "While I am standing in cow dung. Gross."

Prue just laughed as they leaned in to kiss.

"The vampire problem is getting worse," Patric

* * *

k said to Lionel and Alicia one night while they were sitting at the table. "They're turning people faster than we can save them. If this continues, they'll have the whole town wiped out in a few months."

Ben was passing by when he started getting a headache.

"You okay, kid?" Lionel asked.

"There- there's a cure," Ben told them, remembering the time Dean had turned into a vampire, even if he couldn't remember the exact details. There was a journal he remembered reading whenever he got the chance, where Ben memorized a lot of lore on how to kill monsters since Dean wouldn't tell him directly. A journal that he would sneak into the garage to read late at night, memorizing as much of it as he could. It was all coming back to him, a piece at a time. He still couldn't place Dean or Sam in there, but the journal entries were now clear as day, for the most part. There were still parts that were missing from his mind, but eventually those pieces would fall into place. "There's a cure for vampirism, I think I remember it."

"Well, all the other info he keeps coming out with has helped us a lot," Patrick said as he helped Ben to the couch. Between the info from Ben and what they heard on the grapevine through other Hunters, they were quickly stepping up their game in the Hunting world. "Can you remember the exact details?"

"I- I think," Ben said. "You need the blood of the vampire that turned the person. I'm pretty sure they need to be alive for it to work. There's some other stuff, too."

"Where is this kid getting all of this info?" Lionel asked Patrick. 'Was his daddy a hunter and he's just not telling us?"

"That's the kid's decision to tell us," Patrick said. "If and when he's ready to tell us where he came from."

* * *

Over the next few years, Ben became a valued member of the team. He became one of the best Hunters in not only the town he lived in, but his name was quickly getting to be known by other Hunters in the field. It was only by a miracle that his name never reached Dean Winchester's ears, who by that point was so busy with his own problems, such as the Mark of Cain, to even realize that the boy had become a full fledged Hunter.

"I'm really proud of you, kid," Patrick told the boy on the day of his twentieth birthday. "You've really come a long way over these last few years. I just wish we could have found your mother, but we've exhausted every connection and we've never found so much a hair sample."

"I know she's out there, I can feel it," Ben told him. "I'm never giving up trying to find her. Never."

* * *

"Spoiler alert," Metatron smirked as he stared into the campfire. "Some of you more...sensitive souls might want to stop right now."

* * *

In a large mansion in California, a large black man was laying in bed, reading a letter from his underlings that kept him informed on things happening in the vampire underworld throughout the country. The Alpha Vampire just chuckled to himself.

"Ben Braeden," the Alpha Vampire said. "A boy is starting to scare legions of vampires across the country. I may just have to arrange a meeting with this fine young lad. After all," the Alpha Vampire said as he leaned over to kiss Lisa, who was laying in bed next to him. "He is technically my step-son, after all."

The Alpha Vampire picked up a glass of freshly squeezed blood, letting her drink from it.

"I'd love that, baby," Lisa said, baring her fangs as they kissed, drinking the blood from each other's lips. "A reunion with my baby boy would be perfect."

* * *

"Oh my," Metatron said as he poked the campfire with a stick. "How's that for a plot twist, boys and girls? Ben's mommy is a vampire and shacking up with the biggest, baddest one of them all. Don't worry, kiddies, you'll get to see how this story plays out relatively soon. As for me, I don't know what's going to happen, I kind of died around the time that Alfie and Adam joined the world of the living again. But rest assured, whatever stories are being told, they'll find their way to me. Until next time, keep writing your stories, children. Keep telling your tales. Someone out there will read them."

Across the campfire, Naomi, Zachariah, and Raphael were just staring at him. An awkward silence filled the air before one of them spoke up.

"Tell us the one about Dean getting ripped apart by Hellhounds and sent to Hell again," Zachariah smiled. "I love that one."

 **Next: Ben & Adam & Alfie & Joshua!**


	7. Take Me Down to Paradise City

**Supernatural Wayward Sons #6**

 **"Take Me Down To Paradise City"**

 _Oasis Plains, Oklahoma_

"I am SO bored!" Ben said as he fell back onto the bed in the motel room he was sharing with his new friends Adam and Alfie. He had in his hand a flashlight he'd been playing around with as part of the group's arsenal against ghosts and demons. "It's been two weeks since we hit the road, and we haven't seen a bit of action. We've just been holing up in motel rooms in between gathering supplies."

"Well, you and Adam have taught me to hustle pool," Alfie told them as he sat on his cot, while his friends took the other two beds. "I believe I am getting the hang of it now."

"Speaking of which, we bet for money, Alfie. Not food, and not clothes," Adam said. "That is the last time I want to see you naked in public."

"Ugh, I need to kill a monster or I'm gonna burst!" Ben moaned as he covered his face with a pillow.

Adam was sitting at the table near the door, looking at the laptop in front of him while he looked at videos of cute kittens online. They seemed to have a calming influence on the young man as he tried not to think about his time in the Cage with an Archangel and the Devil himself.

"I spent nearly 1,000 years in Hell," Adam told him. "I've technically been dead since 2009, I have a lot of catching up to do before we do anything major. Plus there's the whole thing that Alfie and I are totally unprepared to fight, well, anything."

"You decapitated all of those vampires on your own," Alfie reminded him.

"Yeah, you were a one man army," Ben said. "You probably don't even need us. We could just wind you up and set you loose while we sit back watching cat videos online."

"I do like kittens," Alfie said as Adam turned the laptop screen away from them before they could see what he was watching.

"That was a fraction of the pent up rage I've stored up," Adam said as he closed the laptop. He'd reached the end of the cute kitten playlist. "A small, tiny, fraction. Less than 1%. And I'm kind of scared to let it loose again."

"Aren't you planning on demolishing your brothers when you meet up with them?" Ben asked.

"Yeah and you two seem disturbingly cool with that whole concept," Adam realized as he stared between them.

"Yeah, well, I doubt you're going to go through with it," Ben told him as he sat up. "What they did to you was a dick move, sure, but I don't think you're the kind of guy who can kill his own family."

"You know, you never told us what happened to your family," Alfie said. "Don't you have anyone out there?"

"I'm not ready to talk about that," Ben told him in barely a whisper as he stood up. "I need some air."

"I want to come, I wish to buy some chocodiles. Those were my host body's favorite food, and I too have grown to like them," Alfie said as he got off of his bed. "Will you be alright, Adam?"

"Yeah, go ahead, I'm just tracking my brother's movements," Adam told them as he ran a hand through his hair. "They've been busy, but I'm going to find them. I lost them after their last stop in Indiana, just have to pick up the trail again."

"Come on, Alfie," Ben said as he headed to the door. "We'll be back soon, with food stuffs and beer. Mainly beer. Don't be shocked if we just come back with beer."

"Get me some pie," Adam said as they left.

"Beer, got it," Ben said as the door closed.

* * *

"Tell me the truth, Alfie, how do you think he's doing?" Ben asked as they walked down the street.

"He's in pain," Alfie said with a sigh. "Even as a powerless human, I can feel it. He's hurting, Ben, and I don't know how to help him. If only I had my grace, I could, I don't know, lock those bad memories away and make him happy."

"Maybe he just needs to get laid," Ben joked as he saw Alfie wasn't laughing. "You... do know what that is, right?"

"If my vessel's memory serves," Alfie told him.

"Do you miss being an angel?" Ben asked as he stared down at the ground.

"Sometimes," Alfie told him. "I miss not being able to feel pain, and my wings. I had such glorious wings. But being human is a learning experience. Food tastes so much better, and the daily cleansing rituals are starting to become fun."

"Just wait until you discover girls," Ben said, still not getting a smile out of him. "Yeah, looks like Adam's not the only one who needs to get laid around here."

"It is Adam's wish that I maintain my virginity," Alfie told him.

"Dude, you're an eternity old former angel in the body of a teenage virgin," Ben said. "If this were a movie, the entire plot would revolve around trying to get someone into your pants."

"But I am wearing shorts," Alfie said as he looked down at his blue jean shorts and sandals.

Ben just sighed and rolled his eyes as they walked toward a diner. As they entered through the door, the pair didn't realize they were being watched by an elderly black man who was running a floral shop.

"No, it can't be," the man said as he saw the two young men walk into the building.

* * *

Adam decided to go for some air himself, after making sure his Hellhound was sleeping soundly on his little doggy bed that Adam has purchased for him. The young Hunter grabbed his shoes and jacket and stepped outside the door, wondering what this town had to offer.

A short while later, Adam found himself walking past an old cemetery, which got him to thinking about where his mother was buried, if at all. Was she given a proper burial? He tried to forget about it, but not the thought was there and he had to know where his mother's body had ended up after being eaten by a ghoul.

Adam turned around to begin walking home when he heard screaming from inside the cemetery. The young Hunter quickly looked around for a weapon, finding a broken iron rod from the fence just laying on the sidewalk. He picked it up and rushed inside to find the source of the screaming.

* * *

"Seriously, dude, how old is the real Alfie?" Ben asked as they sat down at a table.

"He was two weeks from turning 17 when Castiel stabbed my vessel to death," Alfie told him. "The real Alfie is now in Heaven, and I am forever bonded with this body."

"And you- him- whoever- has never been kissed?" Ben asked.

"I don't have the memory of it," Alfie told him, although he did remember the near miss of Alfie trying to kiss a girl and failing miserably. "I tried not to pry too much. I only saw what I needed to see to deceive his family so that I could get away to accomplish my mission."

"Well, we'll just have to fix that, my friend," Ben smirked. "We are going to get you a girl, even if it's just for the night."

"I doubt Adam would approve of that," Alfie said. "It is his belief that my virgin blood may come in use to us again. Plus my cot is only big enough for one."

"Okay, let's start again," Ben sighed as the elderly black man entered the diner and approached them.

"Pardon me," the man said as he looked at them. "You probably don't recognize me, but-"

"Joshua," Alfie said in a shocked tone. "Is that you?"

"You do recognize me, Samandriel," the man said. "I am glad to see that you are alive, my friend."

"Alfie, is this guy-" Ben started to ask as Alfie just smiled.

"Yes, he is an angel of the Lord," Alfie told him. "And one of the few angels in the Host that was ever kind to me after Father left."

* * *

Adam followed the screams to a crypt and found a ghoul crouching over a man. The young Hunter suddenly found himself frozen in fear, starting at the type of creature who had once dragged him into the sewers and devoured his own flesh in a revenge scheme against John Winchester.

"What the hell?" Adam asked as the ghoul stared back at him. Before Adam could react, the ghoul was almost on top of him. The ghoul pushed him back into the wall and bit down onto his shoulder as Adam screamed in pain. "Get off of me, you son of a bitch!"

Adam shoved the iron rod through the ghoul's eye. The creature screamed as it backed up, which is when Adam pulled the rod out of its eye socket and continued stabbing it through the head until the monster was dead on the ground. Even with the ghoul dead, Adam still continued stabbing it, getting his frustration out.

"Hey, hey, I think it's dead!" the young man who Adam had rescued said as he pulled Adam back. Adam turned around and found himself face to face with a man who looked exactly like Alfie.

"Alfie?" Adam asked.

"... No, my name is Matt," the man said as he hugged Adam. "You saved my life. I owe you, big time."

"What were you doing here, Matt?" Adam asked as he tried to get out of the other man's embrace.

"I was here visiting my parent's graves," Matt said. He had scratches and bite marks all over his arms and torso. "I saw that... thing in an open grave feeding on a corpse. Before I knew it, that thing had knocked me out and when I woke up, he was gnawing on me like a chicken wing."

"You should get to a hospital, that thing might have rabies, or demon AIDS, or something," Adam told him as Matt noticed his Adam's shoulder was bleeding.

"I'm not the only one who's bleeding," Matt pointed out. "Come on, we'll go together. My car's just outside the cemetery."

Matt started to stumble, a little woozy from the blood loss as Adam grabbed him. "It's okay, I got you."

* * *

"So every angel was expelled from Heaven?" Alfie asked. "Thousands of our brothers and sisters are dead?"

"Yes," Joshua said. "But now the door has been reopened to return home for all of us."

"Then why didn't you return?" Alfie asked.

"I have found that life down here is much more peaceful than life in Heaven," Joshua told him. "After the fall, I found a vessel who was in need of redemption. He prayed for help, and I gave it to him. He is at peace now, and has since been released to go home after I helped him achieve his goal. But the doorway to Heaven is forever open for me to return, and I do go back every so often just to visit God's garden and make sure it's running smoothly. You are welcome to return with me on my next trip, Samandriel. Castiel will be relieved to learn that you are alive."

"Thank you for the offer, Joshua, but...I can't leave my friends, not now," Alfie said. "Ben and Adam are important to me, and I don't wish to leave them. Even though I do not have my grace, I believe I can still help them."

"It's true, Mr. Joshua," Ben said. "We really care about Alfie. But are you sure you don't want to go home?"

"You and Adam are my home," Alfie told him. "For the first time in eons, I feel like I am appreciated."

"The door will always be open for you, Samandriel. I will not tell Castiel that you are back until you are ready," Joshua promised him.

"I'm going to give you guys a few minutes alone, that strawberry pie is calling my name," Ben said as he patted Alfie on the shoulder as he got up.

"You have chosen your new friends well, I can tell that he is one you can trust," Joshua told him as he reached into his coat and handed Alfie an angel blade. "But still, there are those out there who won't be as kind if they discover your true identity. You will need this."

"What about you?" Alfie asked.

"I have no need of a weapon, I am already well protected," Joshua assured him. "You were always one of the creator's favorites, Samandriel. Do you think it was a coincidence that you were able to escape Purgatory so easily?"

"God arranged for me to escape?" Samandriel asked as Joshua nodded.

"You were meant to do great things in this world, so he wanted you to return," Joshua told him. "But there is something else you will need, something you lost."

"My grace," Alfie said. "But I lost it when I was killed by Castiel. Being an angel again... I am torn, Joshua. Between being a human who can feel things and being an angel who can protect my friends."

"There is a way you can restore it," Joshua told him. "If you wish to become an angel again. But the journey is dangerous, Samandriel."

"I must protect my friends," Alfie said. "Even though I have grown to like being human, Adam and Ben's needs must come before my own."

"Very well, I will tell you what you need to do," Joshua said. "But remember, this will not be easy. There will be those who will seek to stop you from finding your grace."

"Like who?" Alfie asked.

* * *

 _Lake Minitoc, Wisconsin_

"It's around here somewhere," a man said as he walked through the forest. "Once I find it, I can sell it and make millions."

As he got closer to his destination, he suddenly heard the sound of trees falling over not too far away. It wasn't long before the man got a good look at who was coming toward him.

"No," the man said as a hand hit him in the chest, sending him flying twenty feet through the air. He landed on the ground, just as a hand reached around his throat and lifted him up, forcing the man on his knees. "You can't do this!"

Without saying a word, the hand twisted the man's neck, snapping it and killing him instantly. The former angel's now dead body hit the ground as the protector of the forest nudged him with his size 8 sneaker before walking away.

* * *

"My mom died of cancer a few years ago," Matt said as he sat in the waiting room with Adam. "I lost my dad last year. He just... gave up the will to live. It's just been me ever since. Now that I've got my college degree in Entomology, I've got a great new job lined up at a scientific firm in Wyoming at the end of the summer."

"So you're just traveling until then?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, seeing what this country has to offer before I settle down," Matt said. "How about you? What do you do for a living?"

"I was going to be a doctor, but that didn't quite pan out, so now I guess you can I say I'm into... extermination," Adam said. "Me and my two friends kind of have our own business going, taking care of unwanted pests."

"Maybe you should think about a career killing things like that creature back there," Matt laughed as he held his stomach in pain. "Oh, laughed too hard. But seriously, though... you really saved my ass. I don't know how to thank you."

"Just try not to die before we get checked out," Adam told him as he patted him on the back.

* * *

It was well after 10 p.m. as Adam stared down at his phone, and the number of his new friend Matt. Adam couldn't get over the eerie resemblance to Alfie, but he was glad to have made a new friend, having bonded all afternoon while getting treated, then grabbing a pizza together. Adam had come back to the motel room feeling... content for the first time in a very long time, and was already making plans to meet up with Matt again at some point before the end of summer.

All afternoon, Adam had thought about killing that ghoul, and had come to a decision about what he wanted to do next. There were a lot of monsters out there killing innocent people, and as far as he knew, there were a limited supply of Hunters fighting that fight.

"You forgot my pie," Adam said as he saw Ben and Alfie return to the room with the promised beer and chocodiles.

"I didn't forget it, it's still back at the diner," Ben said as he saw Adam sitting shirtless on his bed, with a bandage on his shoulder. "Sorry we're so late, we stopped off to see a double feature of Friday the 13th and My Bloody Valentine. What happened to you?"

"It's a long story," Adam said as Alfie sat down on the bed and pulled out the angel blade."What the hell is that?"

"A gift," Alfie told him. "We have much to tell you."

"Can't wait to hear this one, Alfie. But first, Ben, it's time," Adam said as he looked over at his friends. "It's time we started doing what we set out to do. You ready to get us in shape to start saving people?"

"Hell yeah," Ben said with a smirk.

"Then rest up, because tomorrow we officially begin Hunting," Adam told them.

"Are you serious?" Ben asked. "I thought we weren't ready."

"Something small to get our feet wet, nothing too insane," Adam said. "But yeah, Ben, it's time to get to work. We're going to start making the world safer."

* * *

Adam was asleep in his bed later that night, tossing and turning. He was having the same hellish nightmares he usually had, which is why he had started using sleeping pills to help him get through the night.

Ben was in the bed next to Adam's, staring at a picture of him and his mother from his ninth birthday. He gently touched it as a tear fell down his face.

"You're alive, I know you are," Ben said, his voice barely above a whisper, but still breaking. "I'm going to find you, I promise."

Alfie was laying on his side in the cot that was sitting in front of the beds, facing away from the others. He was wide awake, but thinking about the conversation from earlier.

 _"There is a way you can restore it. If you wish to become an angel again. But the journey is dangerous, Samandriel."_

"I'm going to be an angel again, for my friends," Alfie told himself.

 **Next: Paging Dr. Adam!**


	8. Something Wicked This Way Returns TPB

**Wayward Sons Special #1**

 **"Something Wicked This Way Comes Again"**

Most people go their whole lives not knowing what's out there, hiding in the dark. They spend their whole lives never realizing that there are creatures out there that would like nothing more than to kill them, making them suffer horribly to their last agonizing breath.

But there are some people who do know what lurks in the shadows but not by choice. Some people are just thrust into that life. People like Michael Colby, who at the age of 12, had seen what true evil looks like when his little brother Asher had been the victim of a soul-sucking Shtriga, a ghoulish witch who feeds off the life essence of children. When it had come back for Michael, it fell into a trap set by Sam and Dean Winchester, who killed the creature before it could drain the boy's life force.

After the Shtriga had died, all the children affected by it, including Asher, had fully recovered like nothing had ever happened. The only child who had never fully recovered was Michael, and that was because he now knew there were things out there that wanted to kill him and his family. At the age of 12, Michael had lost his innocence and was never truly the same.

* * *

Not too long after that, Michael was walking home from school when he saw two kids harassing his brother. They were tossing Asher's backpack around before shoving the boy to the ground. Michael ran up and without hesitation sucker punched the first bully in the nose. When the other kid came at him, he punched him in the stomach and pulled his shirt over his head before pushing him into the other boy.

"You're dead!" the boy with the now bloody nose said.

"Mess with my kid brother again and I'll break more than your nose," Michael told them as they ran off. He helped his brother up off the ground. "You okay, Asher?"

"You never stood up like that for me before," Asher said.

"Well, maybe it's time that I started being a better big brother," Michael told him as he put an arm around his kid brother's shoulder as they walked home. "I need to start watching out for you more, kid."

* * *

There weren't very many books available on how to spot demons or other creatures of the night, and virtually every online article contradicted the other. There were only two sources of knowledge he could ultimately rely on: The Ghostfacers website and a series of books based on the adventures of Sam & Dean Winchester.

Micheal had saved his money to buy the first 22 books and was looking to buy more as soon as he got more money for them. Between the books and the website, he was learning everything he needed to in order to defend his family.

* * *

 _2008_

"Michael, why is there salt on the window?" Michael's mother Joanna asked one night before bed.

"It...keeps the pests out," Michael said. "I read about it in a book."

In the two years since the young man had his encounter with the Shtriga, he'd started hitting the library and internet to find every scrap of information he could on the monsters that were out there, finding ways to keep the motel that his mother ran properly warded from anything that might try to get in to kill them, filling in the gaps that the Supernatural books and the Ghostfacers website hadn't informed him on. It had become an obsession with Michael, something he couldn't stop thinking about. He knew there were monsters out there, but he didn't realize just how close they truly were until it was almost too late.

* * *

The tall brunette woman walked into the motel office as Michael's mother was at the desk. Michael was in the back, fixing Asher his lunch, as usual. Michael instantly felt a chill but didn't know where it was coming from.

"One room," the woman said as she eyed the two boys sitting at the table in the back.

"How long will you be staying?" Joanna asked as she reached for a room key.

"Not long," the woman said. "Just long enough to complete some business in this town before I have to move on."

"Well, I hope you enjoy your stay," Joanna said as she read the check-in book where the woman had just signed. "Meg."

"Cute kids," Meg said with a smirk. "Reminds me of two guys I used to know. I just got off of a really long vacation. Maybe I should look them up after I'm finished here."

Michael just eyed the woman as she walked out of the office with her room key.

"Michael, the food's burning," Asher said as his big brother snapped out of it. He quickly ran to the stove to turn it off. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just... thinking about that assignment from school," Michael said.

* * *

Meg walked into her room, locking the door behind her as she got settled. She was making her way across the country with a new plan in the wake of her father's death. Dean Winchester wasn't long for this world; in a few weeks he was due to be dragged to Hell by Hellhounds thanks to a devil's deal to save his brother Sam's life.

But before that, Meg was going to make Dean's last few weeks on Earth miserable. She was going to kill anyone that Sam and Dean Winchester had ever saved, with this town being her first stop. The eight children who had been victims of the Shtriga would all be dead by the end of the week, then she would move on to the next town, and then the next, until every soul the Winchesters had ever saved had died a gruesome death. Then on the night that Dean as to be dragged to Hell, she would find him and tell him what she had done, and that in the end, his life had been meaningless because everyone he ever tried to save had died regardless.

A knock suddenly came at the door as Meg opened it and saw Asher standing there with towels in his hand.

"I'm supposed to bring these to you," Asher told her. He was ten years and doing what he could to help his mother keep her motel running smoothly.

"Well, aren't you a cute little thing?" Meg asked as she took the towels and handed him a tip. She could end his life right there, but this job had to be done carefully. There were eight people in this town that needed killing, maybe more if she could help it, but killing Asher right then and there would raise too much suspicion. The last thing she needed was the Winchesters getting wind of this and showing up before the party really began.

"Gee, thanks!" Asher said as he took his dollar tip and left. Meg just smiled and closed the door. Maybe she'd save the kid for last, bleeding him dry after hours of torture. The innocent ones were always the most fun to kill.

* * *

Michael was laying in his bed, reading the latest Supernatural book as Asher ran in. He was just finishing book #35 and about to start #36 "Born Under a Bad Sign".

"Look what that nice lady gave me!" Asher said, proudly displaying his dollar.

"Big deal, a dollar doesn't buy dick these days," Michael said, looking up from his book.

"You're just jealous because she said I was cute," Asher said as he sat down on the bed next to his brother. "Mom said you shouldn't be reading that stuff."

"You gonna tattle on me?" Michael asked.

"No, I just think it's creepy," Asher said.

"There's something not right about that woman," Michael told him. "Didn't you feel the room get colder when she walked in?"

"No," Asher said. "Maybe you're getting sick."

"Or maybe I need to find out who she really is," Michael told him.

"By the way, Mom wants you to run the front counter while she goes to the bank," Asher told him.

Michael just groaned as he got off the bed and headed down to the office, not even bothering to put on his sneakers as he went.

* * *

The body of the police officer lay against the wall of the warehouse with his throat slit as Meg stirred her finger around the chalice of blood to make a call.

"Where are you?" Meg asked as she waited for an answer. "Good, then we're ahead of schedule, just stick to our plan. I don't want to be in this mud ball town any longer than I have to. And I thought Hell was tacky. I'll be in contact."

Meg put the chalice down and looked at the dead officer, whose eyes were wide open. "What are you looking at?"

* * *

Michael was working the front counter, reading a book on vampire lore when the door opened and a boy his age walked in, while his mother was getting the luggage from the car.

"I need a room for me and my mom," Evan said as he saw the book Michael was reading. "You're into learning about vampires?"

"Did you know that crosses and holy water don't do dick against them?" Michael asked.

"Did you know that salt and wrought iron can fend off demons?" Evan asked in return. It was at that moment that the two young men knew they'd found a friend for life.

* * *

While Evan's mother had stepped out to get some groceries, Michael was helping Even put the things away in his room.

"So you and your mom never stay in the same place for too long?" Michael asked.

"My dad has people everywhere," Evan told him. "So we always have to skip town justas we're getting settled. In a few weeks we'll probably be on our way out of town again to find a new place. The last time he caught up to us..." Evan lifted the back of his shirt and showed him the bruises that were just now starting to fade.

"What about the cops?" Michael asked as he put Evan's books on the dresser. He had a lot of stuff on monsters as well, some of which Michael was interested in reading.

"He is a cop," Evan told him. "He's got friends everywhere."

"How'd you get into learning about monster lore?" Michael asked, figuring Evan wanted to change the subject.

"One night I saw a guy get snatched in the parking lot from my window," Evan told him. "The guys who investigated the disappearance made it seem like there was more to it than just a random kidnapping, so I started looking online and... I found some really messed up stuff. The deeper I looked-"

"The more you realized there really was evil stuff out there," Michael said as he put a hand on Evan's shoulder. "I know there's evil stuff out there, too."

* * *

The next day at school, Asher was in the cafeteria getting his lunch, looking over at the table where his best friend Ricky was sitting. They had formed a bond while both in the hospital as victims of the Shtriga. They had gotten close to the six other children who had become sick as well, even though one of them was home schooled, and the rest were either in higher or lower grades. Only Asher and Ricky were in the same grade together.

As Asher slid his tray along, hoping to get a slice of pizza before they ran out, he looked up and saw the usual lunch lady wasn't there. He liked Doris, she usually gave him an extra helping of macaroni.

"Where's Doris?" Asher asked the man who looked uncomfortable wearing the hairnet.

"She came down with a terrible virus this morning," the man said as he gave a disturbingly creepy smile. "You must be Asher. She said to give you an extra special slice of pizza."

The man slapped down an extra gooey slice of pizza that looked to have extra cheese on it.

"Uh... thanks," Asher said as he looked at the pizza. It looked kind of gross, but he was really hungry. Michael had woken up late and both had missed breakfast. As he took his lunch to the table, the man just smiled as he fiddled with the ring on his finger, just itching to use it, but knowing that he couldn't do it just yet.

Pestilence would have his turn, and this town would be the first to try out his horrible new epidemic.

* * *

Evan McKay Sr. was sitting at a cafe, a few towns over from where his estranged wife and son were when his cell phone rang. He'd been waiting for this phone call ever since his wife had disappeared again, taking their teenage son with her. The next time Evan got his family back, he'd make sure they never left again.

"McKay," the man said.

"I found them," the person on the other end said. "They're in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. They're staying at a crap motel on Elm Street."

"I'll be there in a few hours," Evan said as he took down the address. His wife and son were coming home to him, and this time, they would never leave again. He'd personally see to that.

* * *

"Hey, check this out," Evan said as he sat on the floor next to Michael's bed. He handed his friend an occult book as Micheal lay on his back with his head hanging over the side of the bed. "It's a devil's trap, it's supposed to keep demons contained, kind of like salt, but more sturdy."

"I know all about devil's traps, but my mom threw a fit when I tried to paint one in the office," Michael told him. "And she'd have my ass if I tore up the carpeting in any of the rooms for one."

"You think this woman staying here is a demon?" Evan asked.

"I don't know, but something definitely doesn't feel right about her," Michael told him.

"You could always test her," Even suggested.

"How? By spraying her with holy water?" Michael asked jokingly. Evan just stared at him.

"There's a church about a block away from here, right?"

* * *

"Do you mind?" Meg asked, having just watched Pestilence sneeze into his own hands, without even using a handkerchief. "That's disgusting."

"Afraid you'll catch something?" Pestilence asked with a devilish smirk as he wiped his hands on his pants.

"Just tell me that you got the job done," Meg said as they stood in the warehouse.

"Oh, it's done, my dear," Pestilence told her. "Right now my new virus is working its way through all eight of the children, ready to kill them as soon as I set it off."

"Good," Meg told him. "But I don't want them dead, at least not yet. I just want them to suffer for the moment. I only want them dead as soon as Sam and Dean Winchester set foot in this town. I want them dead before they can even reach the hospital to investigate. I want them to know that every last person they've ever saved is going to die painfully, by which time I'll already have hit another two or three towns."

"Oh, trust me, my dear, the children are going to suffer," Pestilence told her.

"So, what exactly did you give the little brats?" Meg asked.

"Just an early version of the Croatoan virus," Pestilence said. "Nasty little thing. It doesn't have the wonderful side effect of turning people into blood thirsty monsters, but it's still a very horrible and painful thing to have. Even if these kids lived, they'll be feeling the side effects for years to come. Would you like a demonstration?"

* * *

"I think I might have freaked out the priest," Evan said as he returned to the hotel with Micheal. "It's probably a good thing me and mom won't be in town long."

"Well, the distraction worked, I got the holy water," Michael told him as he held up the flask. "You play the role of demon-possessed kid pretty well."

"Well, I've seen the Exorcist about 167 times," Evan said as they walked through the door. "So, how do we test this dame?"

"We'll sneak into her room and fill up her bathroom sink, plugging it up," Michael said. "Then I'll pour the holy water in. When she reaches in to unplug it, and we hear her screaming, we'll know what we're dealing with."

"Michael, where have you been?" Asher asked as he saw them coming into the room. He was sitting at the front desk, barely able to hold his head up. He had bags under his eyes and looked really pale. "Mom had to go out and you're supposed to be watching the office."

"Relax, I'm back now," Michael told him. "You're big enough to start watching the office, right?"

"I'm 10," Asher said.

"So? I've been doing my share of the work around here since I was 8," Michael said. "Man up, little brother, it's time to start pitching in."

"Are you okay?" Evan asked as he looked at Asher. "You look kind of flushed."

Michael noticed it and ran over, putting a hand on his forehead. "He's burning up. We should call a doctor before-"

Asher immediately vomited up an extreme amount of blood all over his brother before passing out.

"ASHER!"

* * *

The ambulance took the boy away to the hospital as Michael sat in the chair, still drenched in his brother's blood. He had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders as Evan sat next to him.

"He's still alive, that's a good sign," Evan said as Michael remained silent. "Are you sure you don't want to go with your mom to be with him?"

Michael just continued to remain silent as he sat there, unmoving.

* * *

"You weren't kidding," Meg said as she watched the ambulance drive off. "That was pretty fun."

"The fun is just about ready to start," Pestilence told her as he held up his ring finger. "Are you ready for the real show to begin?"

"Soon, I just need to call in a few more friends just to make sure that if and when the Winchesters arrive, they'll be far too late to do anything," Meg said. "Within the next 12 hours, there's going to be over two dozen demon possessed people waiting for Sam and Dean to keep them at bay while the children die slowly."

* * *

Evan took the initiative and snuck into Meg's room, pouring the holy water into the sink as he returned to Michael's room, where his friend was laying on the bed in his pajamas, where Evan had left him after having helped him clean himself up.

"I should have watched over him more," Michael whispered. "This is my fault."

"This is not your fault, he just... caught something bad," Evan assured him as he sat in the chair next to the bed. "He's going to be okay."

"He threw up two pints of blood," Michael said as he stared at the ceiling. "That's not the sign of someone who's going to get better."

"I planted the holy water," Evan told him. "If you want to, we can still paint a devil's trap or two. We can use glow in the dark paint, and cover another one up with a rug so your mom won't see it."

"Meg," Michael realized as he sat up. "What if this was her that caused this? What if she's the reason he got sick again?"

"We don't have any proof, yet," Evan told him. "Let's just wait until we see if the holy water has any effect on her. Just relax, Michael. Let's just... watch some t.v. until you feel better."

Evan turned on the television, where the news report of eight children, all falling ill at the same time and suffering the same effects as Asher, was airing. As the reporter listed off the names, Michael turned to Evan.

"All eight of those kids, they were the same victims of that demon bitch who sucked my brother's life force out the last time," Michael said as he stood up. "This isn't a coincidence. That creepy lady shows up, then a day later, all these kids get sick again? Where's my cell phone?"

"Down in the office, I saw you put it down after you had me call 911," Evan said as Michael ran to the door without even putting on his sneakers. Evan just followed him down, seeing his friend rush to the desk, frantically picking up his cell phone. What are you doing?"

"I'm calling someone who knows how to deal with this sort of thing," Michael told him.

 _"This is Dean Winchester. If this is an emergency, leave a message."_

"Dean, this is Michael Colby, about two years ago, you and your brother saved me and my brother from a Shtriga, but now all the same kids are getting violently ill again. Asher's in trouble, and he could be dying," Michael said, his voice cracking as his eyes welled up with tears. "Please, help us."

Evan rushed over and grabbed him before he could fall to the floor in agony. "You don't know where these guys are at, they could be all the way across the country. We need to deal with this ourselves until they show up. Let's paint a devil's trap for that bitch."

* * *

Evan Sr. had arrived in town, and had everything in his trunk, from chloroform to duct tape to sturdy rope to make sure his wayward wife and son cooperated. As he closed the trunk, he looked across the street at the motel, ready to make his move. But just as he prepared to cross the street, a thick cloud of black smoke started filtering in through his mouth, choking the man as he fell to his knees. Moments after the smoke had fully entered him, his eyes flashed a dark black as he smiled.

* * *

A short while later, a shrill scream was heard from Meg's room as the boys were just finishing up the devil's trap.

"Hurry up," Michael said as Evan helped him roll a carpet over it, leaving just a tiny piece of it uncovered.

"What do we do if the trap doesn't work?" Evan asked.

"Well, we could-" Michael started to say as the glass in the windows and front door shattered at once, sending shards flying as the two boys ducked behind the counter. Meg stormed in , her right arm red with blisters.

"I don't know how you figured it out, but it's the last thing you two brats are ever going to do," Meg said as she saw them. "You think your baby brother's got it bad? That's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to the two of you."

"You really are a demon," Michael said as Meg walked in, stepping on the carpet.

"Baby, I'm the greatest demon you'll ever know," Meg smiled. "Of course, I'm the last demon you'll ever know. I think I'll start by-" as Meg stepped forward, she found she was trapped. She stared down at the carpet and started laughing. "Good thinking, boys. A devil's trap? You're smarter than I realized."

"You did this to my little brother," Michael said angrily. "I'm going to kill you."

"Your little brother's suffering has just begun, I promise you that," Meg said. "Now, let me out of this trap and maybe, just maybe, I'll let you live with a few broken bones."

"Go to Hell," Michael told her.

"Been there, sweetie, I own a timeshare with Judy Garland," Meg said.

"How do we kill her?" Michael asked.

"Exorcism," Evan said. "I have a print out with the incantation on it. I looked it up while you were in the shower."

"Well, go get it!" Michael told him as Evan ran out the back.

"You can't keep me trapped forever," Meg told him. "And when I get out, your little brother will die screaming while I make you watch."

"You're never going to get the chance," Michael said as he stood up.

"You think if you kill me that your little brother will be saved?" Meg laughed harshly. "Did you really think I was here alone?"

* * *

Pestilence had gone undercover at the children's ward in the hospital, where all eight of the children were being monitored. He looked in on Asher's room, where his mother was crying by the boy's bedside, holding his hand in hers.

"Come back to me, baby, please," Joanna pleaded.

Pestilence just smirked as he continued on, fiddling with his ring finger. He was just itching to pull the trigger and fully unleash the virus upon the children. Right now they'd just had a taste of his virus. Soon they were really going to experience the full effects.

* * *

Evan was glad his mother was out looking for work this late in the afternoon, as he would have no idea on how to explain this to her. He grabbed the printout from his laptop and headed out the door, running into a man and nearly knocking himself over.

"I'm sorry, mister, I'm just in a bit of a rush," Evan said as he looked up at the man, nearly wetting himself.

"Hello, son," Evan's father smiled with his dark black eyes. "Long time, no see."

* * *

The walls of the office started shaking as Meg started laughing.

"Last chance, kid," Meg told him. "Let me out, and you may get to live."

"Not until you fix my brother!" Michael shouted.

"Wrong choice, brat," Meg said as the rest of the windows shattered as a cloud of black smoke started filtering through, headed toward Michael. "Welcome to the club, Mikey, we're going to have a hell of a time with you!"

* * *

All over town, random people were being possessed by demons. The town's population wasn't very big, only a few hundred people, but by 9 p.m. a good third of the town had been possessed, largely due to the demon Meg calling in every favor she could.

This was the first stop on Meg's tour of killing everyone that Sam and Dean Winchester had ever saved, and she was going to start off with a bang. There were 8 children in the town who been survivors of a Shtriga, a soul-sucking demon. The Winchesters had killed the monster and saved the children before moving on, and now Meg was going to fix that.

With the help of the Horseman Pestilence, Meg had infected the children with a prototype version of the Croatoan virus, and now the children were edging closer to death, with the only thing keeping them from the full effects of the virus being Pestilence himself.

By the end of the night, most of the town would be possessed, ready to keep the Winchesters at bay if they showed up. And currently the only ones who had any idea of what was really going on were two teenage boys, who were finding out just how much trouble they were in.

* * *

In the motel office, the demon possessed body of Meg laughed as the cloud of black smoke headed toward Michael, intending to possess him. The office walls shook as sparks started flying out of the lights above, lighting the carpet on fire. But as the black smoke started forcing its way into the boy's mouth, he started coughing and hacking the smoke back up.

"What? That's impossible!" Meg shouted as the black smoke filtered back out of the office to find a body it could possess.

"I've got my tricks too, you demon bitch," Michael said in a raspy voice as he lifted up his shirt to reveal an anti-possession sigil on his upper chest. "Just... don't tell my mom I got this."

Evan Sr. dragged his son into the office by the hair and flung him across the room, knocking him over the desk as the fire started to quickly spread. Michael went to help his friend as Evan Sr. pulled out a knife and started scratching at the devil's trap where Meg was trapped. Meg smirked as she calmly stepped out of it.

"Mmm. you chose well," Meg smiled at Evan Sr.'s muscular body. "Let's skin these brats, I haven't done anything really fun since I got here."

Meg looked toward the desk, where Michael and Evan had vanished, having escaped through the back door. The fire was starting to really get out of control as Meg looked at Evan Sr.

"I know where they're headed," Meg told him. "If we hurry, we can a surprise waiting for them when they arrive."

* * *

"You going to be okay?" Michael asked he helped Evan walk. He was limping since he'd been injured after having been tossed across the room.

"I hurt my leg," Evan said. The two boys looked back at the motel, where the fire was quickly spreading. He saw Michael's eyes tearing up. "I'm sorry."

"My little brother, my home, she's taking it all," Michael said, his voice cracking. "We have to stop her."

"How?" Evan asked. "We have nothing to fight back with. And now she's starting to have other people possessed. We're outnumbered."

"Outnumbered, but not outsmarted," Michael said. "You have the exorcism print-out?"

"In my pocket," Evan said as he noticed people slowly gathering around them. "Oh damn."

"They've all been possessed," Michael said as Evan saw his own mother among the possessed. "We need to go, now!"

"I can't run!" Evan shouted. "Just leave me! I have to try to get through to her!"

"She's possessed, Evan, the only way to help her is to get away," Michael looked around found an empty shopping cart. Moments later, Michael was pushing it as fast as he could to outrun the possessed people giving chase.

* * *

The old rusted out car pulled into the small town, stopping right in the middle of the street as the driver noticed the rising smoke not too far away. The driver of the car stepped out, seeing the people staring at him as he walked away from the car while holding a baseball bat.

"A few more demons than I'd hoped for," the man smirked. "Alright, you demonic bastards, who wants a piece!"

The first person ran towards the new player as he swung his bat, which had ancient markings on it. As it struck the demon possessed man, black smoke instantly flew out of him, while the possessed man fell to the ground. He had a few cracked ribs, but the demon was now gone from his body.

"Who's next?" the man asked.

* * *

Pestilence was watching the clock, waiting for midnight to come. At midnight, he was going to be allowed to turn up the heat and make things much worse for the children who were ill. They would have plenty of life left in them, but with each turn of his ring, the children would continue to get worse. He'd already turned his ring once to activate the virus. One more turn would make the children sicker; a third turn would push them right to the edge ofdeath; and a fourth turn would kill them completely. And it all begins at the stroke of midnight.

* * *

Downstairs, Michael and Evan had evaded the mob and snuck into the hospital after making a few quick stops for emergency supplies. They both had backpacks filled with crosses, holy water, salt, and a few other odds and ends.

"What are we doing here?" Evan asked. "I thought we were going with the plan to take down Meg?"

"We are, but first we have to warn my mom," Michael told him. "We have to tell her what's going on."

"What about my mom?" Evan asked as Michael patted his shoulder.

"We'll save her, I promise," Michael told him. "She's still alive, and we'll get that thing out of her. But for right now, we need help, and my mom's the only one who can do it."

* * *

The two snuck upstairs where Michael's mother was sitting by Asher's bedside, gently stroking his hand.

"Mom," Michael whispered. "I need to talk to you."

"Michael, you should be at home," Joanna said as she hugged him as Evan stood outside the door, keeping watch. "Why are you so dirty? And why are you in your pajamas?"

"Demons, mom," Michael said as he started crying while he held onto her. "They burned down the motel, and they possessed Evan's parents. They made Asher sick, mom. All of this is happening because of Meg, and we need to stop her before it's too late."

"Oh, my poor baby," Joanna said as she rubbed his back. "You have been so stressed out over all this, haven't you?"

"It's all true, I swear," Michael told her. "And if we don't stop her, the whole town's going to die. Please, you have to believe me."

"Oh, I believe you," Joanna said as her eyes flashed black. "And mommy's going to take care of everything."

Her grip on Michael tightened as she put her hand around his neck and started squeezing. Michael started to struggle to breathe as Evan shot a stream of holy water from a squirt gun right into her face. Joanna screamed in pain as she dropped Michael.

"They're everywhere!" Evan shouted as he helped Michael up. "We have to go!"

"No, I can't leave her alone with Asher!" Michael shouted as tried to pull away from Evan.

"I don't think they want him to die just yet, it's like they're waiting for something," Evan said. "Come on, we have to go before more come!"

The two boys stood up and ran right into Pestilence.

"Going somewhere, gentlemen? You shouldn't leave before your appointment," the Horseman said as he started laughing.

* * *

A short while later, Evan woke up, strapped to an upright table as a blurred vision of Pestilence came into focus.

"Oh, good, you're awake, it's always so much more fun that way," Pestilence told him as he scraped two operating knives together. "You know, it's so rare that I get to play with a healthy young specimen. I usually just deal with the sick and elderly, and the occasional corpse, but you're giving me that rare opportunity to see what makes someone as healthy as you tick. That'll really help my research. Just think... whatever your name is... you'll go down in history as the boy who helped me create all sorts of new and nasty infections."

"Just kill me," Evan pleaded.

"Kill you?" Pestilence laughed. "If I kill you...," the Horseman said as he stopped laughing and got a serious look on his fact."You can't suffer."

* * *

Michael woke up, his head pounding as he realized he was laying naked on a table, with several straps holding him down as Meg stood over him, tossing the remnants of his pajama top into a trash can.

"Why are you doing this?" Michael asked as he struggled.

"Because some friends of yours pissed me off," Meg said as she ran a hand over the sigil on his chest. He'd gotten the tattoo several months ago after reading about it in the Supernatural novels. He was friends with the guy who ran the tattoo parlor, which was how he managed to get it without his mother knowing. "How do you know so much about demons?"

"How do you know so much about hair dye? That can't be your natural color," Micheal said as Meg pulled out a knife and cut him along his arm. Michael winced in pain as he tried to hold it in.

"You and your little friend are more trouble than you're worth," Meg said. "I only came here to kill eight kids, but I can extend that by a few hundred more people."

"You're trying to get to Sam and Dean," Michael suddenly realized.

"Finally, the last horse crosses the finish line," Meg laughed. "I didn't care about you or your pathetic family. I just wanted to make Dean Winchester suffer. Actually, I want to make two people suffer, now. You see, that little stunt with the holy water wasn't very nice."

"What are you going to do, kill me?" Michael asked as his mother came into the room. "You're going to have my mom kill me, aren't you? I don't care what you do to me, just let her go."

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you," Meg said as he ran her finger along the edge of the blade. "I'm going to kill her."

Meg rammed the knife into Joanna's stomach, digging it deep into her as Joanna just laughed while coughing up blood.

"No!" Michael screamed as the demon inside of Joanna laughed at the pain while Meg cut deeper, causing blood and organs to start pouring out. "Stop!"

"You heard him," the possessed Joanna said. "He said stop. You know, I really liked this body. I mean, I actually could on living in here forever, maybe even let your mother come out to play once in a while. She could be eternal as long I'm in this body."

"Oh, would you like that, Mikey?" Meg asked as she pulled the blade out and licked the bloody knife. "Having your precious mother live as long as a demon keeps her alive?"

"Please, don't kill her," Michael pleaded as his voice was breaking from the pain. The tears were falling down his face as he pleaded.

"Well, since you said 'please'," Meg said as she looked at Joanna, who opened her mouth as black smoke flew out, disappearing into an air vent. As the last of the smoke removed itself, Joanna fell to the ground, instantly dead as Michael cried.

"That's only the beginning," Meg told him. "You still have a little brother who gets to die horribly. And you are going to have a front row seat for that event. Then, and only then, will you die slowly and painfully. Welcome to Hell, Mikey."

"I'm going to kill you myself," Michael said through gritted teeth as the tears fell down his face.

"Promises, promises," Meg smirked as she turned toward the door, only to have the butt of a rifle hit her in the face. She fell back as a blast of rock salt from the rifle hit her in the shoulder. She screamed in pain as the rifle cocked again, ready for another blast. The lights started to flicker, darkening the room. When the lights came back on, Meg had disappeared.

"You okay, kid?" the man asked as he went to unstrap Michael.

"My mom, she's dead," Michael said.

"I'm sorry, kid, I had an army of demons to fight through to find this place," the man told him as he helped Michael up off the table. "Get your clothes on, we need to get out of here."

"Who are you?" Michael asked as he wiped away the tears while he grabbed some hospital bottoms to put on.

"The name's Christian," the man told him as he tossed Michael a shirt and some shoes. "Christian Campbell. I'm a Hunter," Christian took Michael by the shoulders and slapped him as hard as he could when he noticed the boy was still crying. "Stay with me, kid! We're just about the only two people left in this town who aren't possessed."

"My friend, Evan, he's somewhere in this hospital," Michael said as he tried to stp stop sobbing. "And my little brother, he's sick, I have to save him!"

"Kid, wait!" Christian shouted as Michael ran out of the room. "Dammit."

* * *

"I have had ENOUGH OF THIS!" Meg shouted as she stood on the roof of a car not too far away. "That little brat somehow brought a Hunter here, and if one could sneak in, there might be more coming! So no more games! I want that kid brought to me, and I want everyone who's helping him skinned alive! Forget those eight brats I came here to kill, by dawn, I want this entire town burned to the ground!"

* * *

Evan was laying strapped to a table, with the Horseman Pestilence about to perform surgery on him. The man scraped two sharp knives together as he gave a devilish smirk to the young man on the table.

"Oh, the horrors you are about to endure, all in the name of disease," Pestilence said. "From now until you die, every second will be unending torment as you help me come up with such horrible plagues and sickness. Prepare for the trip of a lifetime, Evan."

"Sorry, have to cancel that field trip," Christian Campbell said as he stood at the doorway and aimed his gun at the Horseman. Pestilence just smirked as he turned his ring. Almost immediately the Hunter started coughing up blood as he fell to his knees.

"You're now just one level of stomach cancer away from throwing up some very vital organs," Pestilence said as he stood over Christian. "Two more turns of my ring, however, will do far worse to you. Oh, I'm just itching to see what three turns will do."

"NO!" Michael shouted as he stabbed a knife through the Horseman's hand, pinning it to a table. He pulled the ring off as Pestilence struggled, holding it in his hand.

"You little worm, give that back!" Pestilence said as Christian started recovering. Michael looked over at the door where his brother Asher was sitting in a wheelchair. He was slowly starting to move his head as Michael started to smile a little.

"It's the ring," Michael said. "If you don't have the ring, you can't make people sick."

"You little bastard!" Pestilence shouted as he pulled the knife out of his hand. Michael looked around tossed the ring down a sink, washing it down the drain with the water faucet.

"Go fetch, bitch!" Michael said as Pestilence grabbed him around the neck, lifting the young man off the ground.

"I don't need a ring to kill you!" the Horseman shouted as he started choking Michael.

"No, but I'm willing to wager it's the only thing keeping me from blowing your head off," Christian said as he cocked his gun. "Put the boy down!"

Pestilence tossed Michael at Christian, knocking them both to the ground before jumping out the window, escaping into the night. Christian helped the boy up as they went to untie Evan.

"Where the hell did you go?" Christian asked.

"To get Asher, I'm not leaving this place without him," Michael said. "He's all I have left now, and we're taking him with us."

Evan sat up, looking at the man. "How do you know he's not possessed?"

"Because he unloaded a bunch of rock salt into Meg just as she was about to kill me," Michael told him. "We can trust him."

"Over half the town must be possessed by now," Christian told them. "When I got the call, I just expected a few demons, not anything on this level."

"How did you even know?" Evan asked.

"My group of Hunters got word of demonic activity in this town, I was sent to check it out and report back," Christian said. "I saw you two running from that horde of possessed people and followed you here. I'm sorry about your mom, kid, I wish I'd have gotten here sooner. But this town's too far gone, I have to get the three of you out of here, then my group can figure out what to do about this town."

"No! My mom's still alive, I have to help her!" Evan shouted. "We can't leave without her!"

"Kid, there are at least a hundred possessed people out there, maybe more how the hell do you expect to beat them all?" Christian asked as Evan reached into his pocket, pulling out the exorcism print-out.

* * *

Christian held Asher in his arms as the group snuck through the town. They'd stopped off for some weapons along the way. Christian had grabbed a few more guns; Michael had Christian's baseball bat; and Evan had a fire ax. Plus they still had the backpack full of supplies the boys had packed earlier.

"There's an emergency station in the middle of town," Michael told them. "It's got a PA system loud enough for the whole town to hear, for weather emergencies and stuff. If we can get to it-"

"Mass exorcism," Christian said. "Great thinking, kid. Problem is getting there and actually pulling it off without getting caught."

"Well, that's kind of the bad part about this plan," Michael told him. "Someone's going to have to keep that demon army at bay while someone uses the PA to read the exorcism over the speaker system."

"Mikey?" Asher said weakly as Christian held onto him. Without Pestilence's influence, the sickness was starting to fade from him, as well as the other children.

"It's alright, buddy, I'm right here," Michael told him as he patted his brother's shoulder. "You're going to feel a lot better real soon, now that Pestilence doesn't have his ring anymore."

"There it is," Evan said as he saw the emergency station.

"Here, take him inside," Christian said as he handed Asher to Michael. "We'll distract that army. You get in there, and you start reading, and you don't stop until I come in to get you, got it?"

"Got it," Michael said as he looked at Evan. "Good luck, buddy."

"You, too," Evan said as they shook hands. "See you after this nightmare ends."

Christian and Evan stepped out into the open as the demon possessed townspeople saw them, having been warned about the two boys who had humiliated Pestilence at the hospital.

"Try not to kill them," Evan said as he saw his parents in the crowd. "Please."

"Not making that promise, kid," Christian said as he hit someone in the face with the butt of his shotgun. Evan did the same to another person with the butt of the fire ax, while Michael carried his brother into the station and up the stairs, where he found the PA system. Michael locked the door and sat Asher down in a chair, kissing his forehead.

"Just stay here, little brother," Michael whispered, running his hand through his brother's hair. "It's all going to be alright very soon."

* * *

Outside, Christian and Evan were trying to fight the townspeople without killing them, but they were vastly outnumbered. While Christian had taken to firing rock salt pellets at people to slow them down, Evan found himself face to face with his father.

"Put the ax down, son," Evan Sr. said. "Are you really willing to kill your own father?"

"All you've ever done is beat me," Evan told him with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, I can see into his mind, he's done FAR worse than that," Evan Sr. laughed. "Some fathers don't hug their kids enough. Looks like this one hugged his kid a little too much. The things he did to you. Even I'm not that evil."

"Shut up!" Evan shouted while crying.

"Tell me, do you still wet yourself late at night when you hear the door opening?" Evan Sr. asked as he got closer. "Or maybe there's a part of you that liked being Daddy's special little man. Why don't you put down that ax and I'll let your real father loose to have some... quality time."

Evan was taking deep breaths, barely able to hold in his anger as the fire ax went through his father's neck, chopping his head clean off. Evan fell to his knees, sobbing.

"Get up, kid, this isn't the time!" Christian shouted as he went to ram the butt of his gun into another person, but instead it had been caught in Meg's hands. She yanked the gun out of Christian's hands and shoved him to the ground.

"Oh, I think it's the perfect time," Meg told him as she broke the gun over her knee. "I see two of you here, but where's the other brat?"

The feedback of the PA was heard as Michael's voice echoed through it, being broadcast all over the town.

"Regna terrae, cantata Deo, psallite Cernunnos, Regna terrae, cantata Dea psallite Aradia. caeli Deus, Deus terrae,"

"No!" Meg shouted as she ran toward the station and kicked the door in.

"Humiliter majestati gloriae tuae supplicamus Ut ab omni infernalium spirituum potestate, Laqueo, and deceptione nequitia,"

"Come on, kid!" Christian shouted as he pulled Evan up by the arm, but found they were blocked by the demons, who were coming closer to them.

"Omnis fallaciae, libera nos, dominates. Exorcizamus you omnis immundus spiritus Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio, Infernalis adversarii,"

The demons started holding their ears in pain as they fell to the ground, trying not to hear the exorcism chant, while Christian and Evan ran past them.

"Come on, we have to help him!" Christian shouted as they headed into the station.

* * *

"Omnis legio, Omnis and congregatio secta diabolica. Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, dominates,"

"You think an exorcism can get rid of me?" Meg asked. "I locked myself into this body, you little bastard! Chant all you want, you're not getting rid of me!" Meg shouted as she headed to the control room. She kicked the door open and saw Michael at the PA.

"Ut coven tuam secura tibi libertate servire facias, Te rogamus, audi nos! Ut inimicos sanctae circulae humiliare digneris," Michael said, before being cut off by Meg grabbing him by the neck and lifting him up.

"Now, you die!" Meg shouted as she threw him down the stairs. Michal landed at the bottom of the staircase and tried to get up, but Meg kicked him in the stomach. "Try to finish your chant now!"

"Te rogamus, audi nos! Terribilis Deus Sanctuario suo, Cernunnos ipse truderit virtutem plebi Suae, Aradia ipse fortitudinem plebi Suae. Benedictus Deus, Gloria Patri, Benedictus Dea, Matri gloria!" Asher read in a hoarse voice over the PA as loud as he could. Black smoke started pouring out of every possessed person in town, leaving their victims unconscious on the ground.

"I'm going to skin both of you alive!" Meg shouted as he grabbed Michael by the neck and started squeezing.

"Skin this, you demon bitch!" Evan shouted as he hit her with a balloon filled with holy water. Meg screamed in pain as she stumbled around.

"Finish her!" Christian shouted as Meg screamed at him before jumping through the window. Before Christian could fire off a shot at her, Meg disappeared into the night. Evan ran over to Michael, who was struggling to catch his breath.

"I think it's over," Evan said as he hugged his friend.

"No, it's not," Michael told him, his voice raspy from the choking he'd gotten from Meg. "Not as long as she's out there."

Evan and Christian helped Michael walk upstairs, where Asher was sitting at the PA controls, smiling weakly. "Did I do good?"

"You did great," Michael said as he hugged his little brother tightly.

* * *

"This isn't over," Meg said angrily after having gotten out-of-town. "I'll kill those little freaks. This isn't over!"

"Yes, it is," a voice said as Meg turned around, seeing a little girl in a red dress standing in the doorway.

"Who are you?" Meg asked.

"My name is Lilith," the little girl told her. "And you work for me now."

"I am not taking orders from-" Meg said as Lilith held out her hand and started choking her from across the room.

"My orders come from a... higher power, in a sense," Lilith told her. "And that higher power- and I use that term very loosely- has bigger fish to fry. You're going to help us, and if you're a good little demon, maybe he'll let you come back and have some playtime with those brats. In the meantime, the boss has bigger plans for the both of us."

* * *

As dawn came, the people started waking up, thinking that what had happened the night before was just a bad dream. The other seven sick children in the hospital were recovering quickly, and in a few days would be able to return home, and within a few weeks things would start to return to normal in the town, except for the motel that had been burned down, the owner of the motel who had been found stabbed to death at the hospital, and the police officer who had been found beheaded by the emergency station. Michael and Asher would soon be discovered to be missing in all the chaos, but by then they'd be far away from the town.

"Hey, where's Michael and his brother?" Christian asked as he looked around.

"They took off a while ago," Evan told him, while his mother had been questioned about what happened the night before. "Meg is still out there. She's going to go after him and his brother, he knows that everyone's in danger by staying here."

"Smart kid, I just wish he would have let me take him to people who can keep him safe," Christian said. "Hopefully he stays out of trouble. So, what are you and your mother going to do now?"

"We don't have to run anymore," Evan told him. "She said we can stay here, settle down. Maybe I talk her into rebuilding the motel."

"What about your dad, you kind of-"

"Things got crazy last night, they're just chalking it up to whatever was affecting the people," Evan told him. Later that day, Evan would hole himself up in a new motel room and cry for days on end over what he'd done. "You leaving?"

"Have to report back to my group," Christian said as he handed Evan his number. "Keep in contact, kid. You ever need help, you call me. You pass that on to that other kid if he ever comes back. You two would make great Hunters when you get older. Think about it."

* * *

"Michael, where are we going?" Asher asked as the two brothers were walking out of the town. Michael had the baseball bat he'd taken from Christian strapped to his back as they headed off to find a new home.

"I don't know," Michael told him. "Someplace where that demon won't find us. Someplace where if she ever shows her face again, we'll be ready to kill her for what she did to mom."

Asher started sniffling as Michael put an arm around his shoulder. "I miss her."

"So do I," Michael said. "But we still have each other, and I promise you, that I will never, ever, let anyone hurt you. You're my kid brother, and I will always have your back."

As the two walked along the deserted highway, Michael took one last look back at the town they would never return to. He returned to his brother's side as they headed off to find a new home. Their adventures over the next few years would take them to many places, teach them the true meaning of family, and reveal many horrors of the world that they'd never be able to forget. But that's another story altogether.

* * *

 _8 Years Later_

The young couple had been stranded on the country back road for the last 45 minutes, as the boyfriend was trying desperately to get the car going again. The sun was setting and the couple still had a full day of traveling to get where they were going, having decided the old country road that no one ever went down was their best shortcut.

"Kodi, we're going to miss my sister's wedding!" the young woman said as she stood outside of the car.

"Relax, Candace, we'll have plenty of other chances to see her get married," Kodi laughed as she just gave him a dead stare. He ducked back under the hood to try again, as a truck pulled up close to the car and three men jumped out.

"Car trouble?" the biggest of the men said.

"Yeah, I just don't know what's wrong," Kodi said as two of the men approached. "Think you can get us on the road again?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about the car," the man said as he bared his vampire fangs. The other man grabbed Candace as the first two men held Kodi down. Candace started screaming as the vampire holding her got closer to her neck. Just as he was about to sink his fangs into her, a sharp blade sent his head flying, with the vampire's body collapsing to the ground.

The other two men looked up at him. "Who the hell are you?"

"AAA, assholes," 22-year-old Michael smirked. The vampires charged at him, just as his cell phone started ringing. Swinging the machete in one hand, Michael answered the phone with the other. "Hello?"

"Hey, bro," 18-year-old Asher said as he was setting up his dorm room at Stanford. "Just calling to let you know that I made it here safe. Did I call at a bad time?"

"No, it's cool, just doing some cleaning," Micheal said as he swung the machete, taking off the top half of the second vamp's head. "I wish I could have taken you there myself. I wanted to see my baby brother on his first week of college."

"I know, but you're busy with your job, especially now that you've got the Roadhouse up and running," Asher said as his boyfriend Mason walked into the room, carrying a large box, including the ball bat. They quickly kissed each other as the muscular young man passed by. "Besides, I have Mason here with me, remember?"

"Tell him I said hi," Michael told him as the other vamp rammed him into the car. Michael uppercut him with the machete, cutting his head vertically as the vampire fell back onto the ground. "And tell him to keep my kid brother safe until I can get out there to visit. Just because you have a boyfriend doesn't mean you don't need your older brother to save your bacon once in a while."

"Relax, we're both Hunters, and we both have a small arsenal in case something comes up," Asher told him. "So, will you be coming out here soon?"

"Count on it, kid," Michael smiled. "Look, I gotta go. You stay safe, and I'll call you tomorrow morning. Love you, Asher," Michael hung up and looked at the young couple. "I was just kidding. I'm not really AAA. But I do have a Roadhouse about a mile up the road where you two can call the real deal and crash until they show up. You'll be safe there."

A vampire lunged from the trees behind Michael. Without even turning around, he pulled out his machete and cut the vampire's head off before it reached him, splattering blood on the young couple.

"We also serve a great strawberry pie. You, uh, got a little something right there," Micheal said to the blood stained couple, motioning to their faces.

 **THE END... FOR NOW**


	9. Let It Be, Part 1

_1997_

Kate Milligan sat outside of the emergency room, crying as her little boy fought for his life inside the E/R. Adam had been struck by a drunk driver while on his way to the park that afternoon. Having seen his mother about to be hit, Adam summoned all of his strength and pushed her out of the way just in time to be hit himself by the car going 90 miles per hour. The odds of Adam were making it were slim, as a 60 lb boy being hit by a car going 90 mph had caused a lot of damage.

As Kate sat there, a man came up to her, putting his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Kate just looked up at him.

"What are you doing here?" Kate asked bitterly. "You're not welcome here."

"I know Adam's not going to make it," the man said as he sat next to her. "We heard it on the news. I rushed right over. You know what has to be done."

"You're not touching my baby," Kate told him.

"He can be saved," the man said. "You can have your son back. You just need to let me take him before it's too late. He can live, Kate. Do you really want to lose him because you hate your family so much?"

Kate looked at the doors to the E/R. Adam was her only real family, she couldn't lose him. Not like this. She looked back at her uncle, knowing what she had to do to save her son.

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #7**

 **"Let It Be, Part 1"**

 _Present Day_

"This is seriously going to be our first hunt together?" Ben asked as he drove the cherry red Impala down the highway.

"I told you, we're going to work our way up," Adam said from the backseat. "We start small, build our skills. Then we get into the bigger hunts."

"I agree with Adam, it is best we don't get in over our heads," Alfie said from the passenger side seat. "You have been teaching us how to fight and use weapons, but demons and ghosts do not fight fair. We must ease into this slowly."

"Fine," Ben said as he rolled his eyes. "But you could have at least picked a better case for us to start off on."

"And what's wrong with this case?" Adam asked.

* * *

The door to the small home opened as the woman stared at the three young men dressed in white.

"Animal control, ma'am," Ben said as he showed her his fake I.D. "We're here about your (sigh) rabid chicken."

The woman led them to the back door of the house. "Be prepared, it's not a pretty sight."

"I'm sure we can handle it," Adam said with a slight laugh as she opened the door. "We've seen a lot in this profession, so- OH MY GOD!"

There was blood, feathers, and assorted animal parts scattered all around the backyard. And at the center of it all was one blood-soaked chicken, pecking around.

"Good luck," the woman said as she closed the door. As soon as the door was shut, the chicken immediately stared up at the trio with pitch black eyes.

"Oh, crap," Ben said in a whisper. "Demon chicken!"

As the woman sat on the couch in the living room, drinking a cup of tea, the sound of terrifying screaming came from the backyard, along with the vicious clucks of the chicken.

"Kill it! Kill it!" Ben shouted, his voice carrying all the way from the backyard.

"I'm trying, it's going for my face!" Adam shouted back.

"Alfie, grab the ball bat!" Ben shouted.

"Alfie, don't even think about it!" Adam shouted as the chicken kept clucking.

"Don't worry, I will not harm you," Alfie said as the woman calmly sipped her tea. "Just hold perfectly still."

"Alfie, not while it's on my face!" Adam shouted.

More terrifying screams were heard, followed by more clucking, and more collateral damage. Three minutes later, the trio walked back into the house, covered in feathers and blood, with most of their white animal control costumes shredded. Alfiespit out a chicken feather.

* * *

"A demon possessed chicken," Ben said as he walked out of the motel bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. "A freakin' poultrygeist, Adam!"

"My turn," Alfie said as he ran into the bathroom to clean up. Adam was sitting on the bed in a pair of black pajama bottoms, having been the first to clean himself up. In his lap was his pet Hell Hound, who was invisible to everyone but him.

"That chicken blood got everywhere," Adam said as he scratched Jed Stark behind his ears as the puppy whimpered with pleasure. "But hey, at least we did it."

"We killed a chicken!" Ben shouted as he fell back onto his bed. "Adam, we seriously need to step up our game. Maybe actual ghosts or demons. Let me pick out a case for us. I'll find something nice and exciting."

"Fine," Adam said as he looked over at Ben, then quickly looked away. "Oh, dude, put some pants on, I can see under your towel."

"And yet you say nothing about Alfie walking around naked after a shower," Ben told him as he sat up. "I'm starting to think you... _like_ him."

"Don't even go there," Adam said with a little bit of anger in his voice as he continued playing with his puppy. Ben remained silent as he stood up and headed to the dresser to get some pants. "How are we doing on finding Patrick's kids?"

"I took a picture of the twins from the farmhouse and ran it through an age progression program," Ben said as he grabbed a pair of boxers out of the drawer. "I'm using a computer program to run the image through the national database. As soon as I get a hit, we'll have our first lead."

* * *

As Alfie finished showering and went to look at himself in the mirror, he noticed the scratches he'd gotten from fighting with the chicken. Scratches he could have easily healed if he'd had his grace. He still hadn't told Adam or Ben that he'd been given the option of getting his angel grace back, mainly because of the danger involved.

"I must tell them," Alfie said to his reflection as he put his hands on the counter and leaned over to stare at the mirror. "But what if they get hurt because of me? Joshua said that there is a risk of getting killed. I could not bare it if Adam or Ben were killed because of me wanting to become an angel again. What should I do?"

* * *

"Decisions, decisions," someone on the other side of the mirror said as he watched Alfie talking to his own reflection. "Don't worry, little angel, soon everything will become clear on what you have to do," Alfie stood up straight as the person looked away once Alfie'sfull nude body was in view of the mirror. "Oh- oh, God, I did not need to see that!"

* * *

The next morning, the trio of young Hunters were sitting at a nearby cafe having breakfast as Ben read through the newspaper.

"So, did you find anything for us yet?" Adam asked as Ben read the paper. Alfie was playing around on the laptop, trying to find cute kitten videos.

"Nothing yet," Ben said. Patrick had taught him to read between the lines when it came to what the newspaper printed. A good Hunter could see a case when the papers were covering something up. "I'm sure something will come along soon."

Ben picked up his coffee and took a sip, making a disgusted face. he pulled a flask out of his jacket pocket and poured alcohol into the coffee before stirring it.

"Seriously?" Adam asked. "I'm a little concerned about your drinking problem."

"I don't have a drinking problem," Ben said as he drank his coffee. "A drinking problem has me."

"Adam, what is this?" Alfie asked as he clicked on a folder.

"That's just... something I've been researching," Adam said as he looked down at the table.

"Burial sites?" Alfie asked.

"I guess I should tell you guys. My mom was killed the same night I was," Adam told him. "My brothers salted and burned my body for some stupid Hunter tradition, but my mom? They probably just ditched her in an unmarked grave somewhere and moved on. She deserves better, you know?"

"You want to give her a proper burial, we get it," Ben said. "You know where she is?"

"I'd imagine somewhere in the same field I was buried," Adam said. "The same field where I clawed my way out of my grave when those dickhead angels revived me. No offense, Alfie."

"None taken," Alfie said. "I agree, my brothers and sisters can be a little... cruel. I remember after father left, Michael playfully kicked me into a volcano. That was a rather boring 500 years while I tried to dig my way out."

"I was hoping to find a little place out in the countryside to bury her," Adam said. "She loved the countryside. It was so peaceful for her. She'd take me out there when I was young where I'd ride the horses."

Adam tried not to break down as Alfie put his hand on his. "Do not cry, Adam, we will-"

"Cry? I'm not crying," Adam said as he sucked it up and sat up straight, all while leaving his hand under Alfie's. "It's just really dusty in here, that's all."

"Well, then, let's go to Minnesota and dig us up a body," Ben said as the woman sitting behind him just gasped. Ben just smiled at her and laughed. "I know, right?"

* * *

It didn't take long for the boys to pack and get the Impala out on the road. As Adam stared out of the passenger side window, Alfie was sleeping in the backseat, with Jed Stark cuddled up in his arms. Ben looked at the sight in the backseat in the rearview mirror.

"He's even adorable when he sleeps," Ben said as he looked over at Adam. "You going to be okay?"

"This just feels so... final," Adam said. "The ghouls killed me before they killed her, so I never had a chance to say goodbye. And I never even got to see her in Heaven. My personal heaven was making out with my prom date."

"Didn't you say your prom date dumped like, right after?" Ben asked.

"It was a few weeks later, actually. But that doesn't make that night any less memorable, I lost my virginity that night," Adam told him. "But the point is, I never got a chance to really say goodbye to my mom until now."

"Well, we'll give her a nice sendoff," Ben told him. "Maybe we should really do this up in style. Get some nice suits, some flowers, the works. We can pass through the town on the way to the field where you two were buried. Which kind of brings up something I wanted to talk to you about. We're digging up your mom, Adam. Maybe you shouldn't... be there for that part."

"What are you saying?" Adam asked.

"You've been through Hell, literally," Ben said. "It's time you had a break. What if I dropped you off in town to get the flowers and suits and whatever, and me and Alfie handle the dirty work? You can give us directions to the field and we'll call you when we're ready to go out to the countryside."

"I can't ask you do that," Adam told him.

"You're not asking, I'm offering," Ben said. "I don't think I could handle doing this if it were my mom, Adam. So just get the stuff, and we'll do the heavy lifting on this one. You can make it up to us by buying the beer later, and you know it won't be cheap considering how much I can put away."

"Thanks," Adam said as he smiled a little. "You two really are my best friends."

"Hey, no chick flick moments," Ben sternly told him.

* * *

After dropping Adam off in the shopping district, Ben and Alfie drove off to find the burial site. Adam's first stop was to pick up the flowers from the local shop. As he picked up a bouquet of his mother's favorite flowers, he couldn't help but notice people were staring at him.

"Never seen a guy buy flowers for his mom before?" Adam asked.

"What's he doing here?" a woman asked her husband.

"Yeah, you never see that freak out during the day," the man replied.

Adam put some money down on the counter and saw the boy at the register staring nervously at him. "You look you seen a ghost, kid," Adam chuckled to himself since technically has had come back from the dead. Adam picked up the flowers and headed toward the door.

* * *

"According to Adam's directions, this is the place," Ben said as he stopped the Impala. "There should be two gravesites. The one that is Adam's should have everything around it withered and dead from his resurrection."

"Still?" Ben asked.

"Once the foliage around a resurrection site is dead, it remains dead," Alfie told him. "Unless it's replanted, and even then the odds of growing something in tainted soil is nil."

"So, how do we find Adam's mom, then?" Ben asked.

"Perhaps they used grave markers to mark them," Alfie said as he grabbed the shovels. "We should look out for- Oh my."

"What is it?" Ben asked as he looked around. "What the-"

The two looked ahead and found there were two separate spots in the field, both had perfect circles of dead grass and leaves around them.

"Well, I didn't see this one coming," Ben said. "Do you think that-"

"Someone else was resurrected in this field,"Alfie said.

* * *

The doorbell rang as the old woman from across the street waited for the door to open. She could no longer wait, and had to voice her suspicions about what was going on with her neighbors. After all, she had known these people for years and even used to babysit the little boy that lived here. But the old woman knew something was wrong, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Ms. Boyle," Kate Milligan said as she opened the door. She was a woman in her mid 50's, who was currently living with her grown son as he embarked on his career in the medical field. She let the old woman in and closed the door behind her. "What a surprise. What can I do for you?"

"I know what your son is," Ms. Boyle said as Kate started to frown. "I've known for quite some time. He's not... normal. I think he's a monster."

"Why would you say something like that?" Kate asked her. "My baby is not a monster."

"Then explain this," Ms. Boyle said as she showed Kate the video on her phone. The noise coming from the phone indicated that something was being killed. "That's the boy I knew. I think something's... replaced him. That's not your son."

"Oh, Mrs. Boyle," Kate said as she led the old woman into the living room. "Of course it's my son. I've known my baby boy since the moment I gave birth to him," Kate picked up a fire poker and hid it behind her back. "Trust me, that little boy is 100% mine."

"I'm still going to investigate and find out what he really is," Mrs. Boyle said as the fire poker went straight through her chest. The old woman coughed up blood as she fell to her knees. Kate pulled the poker out and hit the old woman, again and again, splattering blood all over pictures that were sitting on the mantle of the fireplace.

"How ironic that you're bleeding to death," Kate said. "My son's a doctor, he might have been able to help you."

Kate took one more swipe, splattering blood on a recent picture of Adam as he was graduating medical school.

 **Next: Confused? Just wait until next issue!**


	10. Let It Be, Part 2

_Schrodinger Hospital_

 _Windom, Minnesota_

The door to the morgue opened as the body bag had been wheeled in on the table. The body was left in the bag on the table as the two men who had brought it in started getting chills down their spine.

"Let's get the hell out of here before he shows up," the first man said. "I do not like dealing with that guy."

"I know, right? And he was supposed to have been at the top of his class, too How's he end up down here?" the man's partner asked.

"Who cares? Oh, crap, I heard something, let's get out of here," the other man said as they quickly rushed out. The morgue attendant stepped out of the back room, seeing a fresh delivery waiting for him.

"Oh, goodie," the man said as he unzipped the bag. "Let's see who we have here."

Inside the bag was a young man, barely in his twenties. According to the report, he'd just dropped dead while jogging. The attendant just sighed as he got ready for the autopsy. Several hours later, the man finished his report, and just smiled down at the corpse.

"Well, my friend, it seems you were perfectly healthy barring that slight heart defect that was probably overlooked," the attendant said. "But the good news is that all of those organs you have inside of you are still very much healthy if I can get them on ice in time. Of course," Adam Milligan said as he pulled out a small bandsaw. "That'll just be our little secret."

 **Wayward Sons #8**

 **"Let It Be, Part 2"**

Ben wiped the sweat from his brow as he continued digging up the second gravesite. He had his shirt wrapped around his waist as he continued digging. "Anything over on your end, Alfie?"

"No," Alfie said as he looked down into the hole where the half-naked Ben was sweating heavily. "There was nothing in the other grave."

Ben just looked up at Alfie, who was fully dressed and didn't have an ounce of sweat showing. "How the hell are you not sweating after digging a six-foot hole?"

"I don't sweat anymore. After all that time in Hell, the temperatures on Earth don't bother me," Alfie said.

"I hate you so much right now," Ben said as Alfie helped him climb out as the young Hunter sat down to rest. "So, someone raised Adam's mom from the dead. Do you think that angels did it?"

"It is possible, though I do not see the logic," Alfie told him. "If they brought her back, it would have been to convince Adam to say yes to Michael using him as a vessel. But Adam thought his mother was dead when he said yes."

"Then someone else is playing necromancer and we need to find out who," Ben said. "We need to find Adam and tell him what's going on. But first I'm going to clean up. I saw a water well nearby. Keep watch, I'll be back."

Ben walked over to the well and pulled up a bucket of water, staring down into his reflection as he cleaned himself. As he looked at the rippling reflection while washing off his face, he thought he saw a quick flash of something else in place of his own image.

"What the?" Ben asked as he suddenly passed out.

* * *

Adam was walking down his old street, looking at all the changes that had taken place since he died. Neighbors had moved, houses were renovated or had been torn down, and people had grown older. He was almost afraid to see what had become of his childhood home. As he approached his old house, he started to notice that nothing had changed.

The old house was still the same color; the grass was neatly trimmed with the garden getting ready to bloom, and his old basketball hoop was still hanging over the garage. That's when he noticed the name 'Milligan' on the mailbox.

"The hell?" Adam asked as he got closer, seeing his mother's old car sitting in the driveway. "No way. What is going on?"

* * *

Ben's eyes started to open upon feeling the Hellhound puppy licking his face. Ben bolted up, seeing he was laying on the hood of the Impala as Alfie walked around, trying to get a signal on his cellphone.

"Ben, you're awake," Alfie said as he ran over. "You passed out two hours ago. I have been trying to call Adam for help, but there is no signal out here."

"Two hours?" Ben asked as he ran a hand through his hair. "I thought I saw something before I passed out. I don't know what it was, but it looked... familiar. Like it was someone I'm supposed to know, but couldn't place. Ever since I woke up from that coma a few years ago, I feel like, I don't know, there's something in my head trying to get out, and I don't know how to let it. Like there's something I'm supposed to remember, but I can't."

"Whatever it is, if it's causing you to start passing out, we need to find out what it is," Alfie told him. "But first we must find Adam. He must be worried about by now."

"We should be able to get a signal once we get closer to town," Ben said as he got off the hood of the car. He opened the trunk and grabbed a clean shirt. "I hope Adam's okay."

* * *

Adam pounded on the door of the house, waiting to give whoever was in the house a piece of his mind. Was someone using his name and car? Or his mother's? Did someone steal his house and life after he'd been killed that night? Whoever was in the house was about to catch hell.

After a few seconds, the door opened as Adam came face to face with his own mother. There was a dead silence before Kate just smiled at him.

"You're home early, baby," Kate said as she hugged him. "Did you forget your key again?"

"Mom?" Adam squeaked out, trying not to cry.

"Oh, baby, were the people in town being mean to you again?" Kate asked as she led him in. "Don't you worry about a thing, sweetheart, Mommy will take care of it soon enough. Now go upstairs and wash up, dinner will be ready soon."

As she left, Adam just stood there, frozen in shock as his eyes wandered the room. Nothing had changed since 2009. There were still pictures of him as a baby, young child, and teenager all over the room. The picture of him and his father was even still sitting on the mantle. Then he noticed the picture of him and his mother that he didn't recognize. It was a picture of Adam holding a medical degree.

"What the fu-"

* * *

"Adam's not answering his cell phone," Alfie said, having finally got a signal. "Do you think he's okay?"

"Of course he's okay, he's Adam," Ben told him. "Maybe he just forgot to turn his phone on. Relax, Alfie, we'll find him," Ben said as he looked over at him. "So, uh, I can't help but notice that you and Adam have a really deep connection."

"We spent a few hundred years climbing out of Hell," Alfie said. "We became good friends in that time."

"Yeah, I noticed," Ben said. "Adam really cares about you. I mean, it kind of seems like it goes beyond just being, you know... friends."

"I don't understand," Alfie said as he looked away from the window.

"It's nothing, nevermind," Ben said. "Forget I said anything, just keep trying his phone."

* * *

Adam was sitting at the table, still unable to process anything that was going on as Kate brought him some food. Part of Adam wanted desperately to believe that everything he'd known over the last few years was just a horrible nightmare he'd finally woken from. That he'd never been killed by a ghoul or sent to Hell or tortured for hundreds of years by the devil himself. Adam wanted to believe that this was really his life, and he just needed time to wake up and remember it all.

"So, how was work?" Kate asked as Adam stared at the plate. Lasagna, his favorite, prepared just the way he remembered it. His mother was the only person who fixed it the way he liked. But this couldn't be her, could it? "Adam?"

"It- it was fine," Adam said as he took a bite. It tasted different somehow, yet the same as he remembered.

"You seem distracted, is everything alright?" Kate asked as she looked at him. "Oh, you're just nervous about the family reunion. Don't worry, sweetheart, Nana's not coming this year."

Adam just looked up her with a puzzled look as he chewed his food. Family reunion? The only family he knew besides his father and half-brothers had been his mother's side of the family that him nor Kate wanted any part of. The ones who shunned Adam for wanting to be his own person and follow his own dreams. In fact, the only person he could ever stand in his family was his cousin. The family reunion would probably be worth it if only to see his best friend again. And if Nana wasn't there, it might actually be more tolerable.

"When do we leave for the reunion again?" Adam asked.

"We're having the reunion here, remember?" Kate asked. "It'll be good for us to spend time with the family again."

* * *

Alfie walked out of the flower shop and headed back toward the Impala. "The people here are very rude. I asked if anyone had seen Adam and just got some very bad reactions."

"I'll say," Ben said. "I asked around the diner and got the same reaction. Adam's been dead for seven years. Unless he went all Britney Spears in the one afternoon he's been here, why would people hate him this much?"

"I am starting to fear for his safety," Alfie said. "What if he is in danger here?"

"You're right, it's time we cut through the bullcrap and find him," Ben said as he went to the trunk and found a collar and leash. He went to the backseat of the Impala and felt around for Jed Stark, finding the invisible Hellhound puppy, putting the leash on him. "Alright, Jed, Adam's in trouble. Can you lead us to him?"

The puppy barked as he jumped out of the car, dragging Ben behind him. The Hellhound started following Adam's scent as they headed toward the suburbs.

* * *

Adam had gone up to his old bedroom, still dazed about what was happening. The person downstairs seemed like his mother. She acted the same, treated him the same way she always did, and it did seem like things were before they both died, yet somehow it all seemed different. Had his time in Hell changed him so much that he couldn't be happy knowing his mother was alive?

As he looked around his room, he saw that nothing had changed there, either. Only an updated wardrobe and CD collection, but everything else was just as he remembered it. Adam picked up a Kanye West CD and looked at it.

"Okay, so the new me is a douche," Adam said to himself as he continued looking through the collection. "Smooth jazz? R&B? Kenny freakin' G?Where the hell is my classic rock?"

Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone to check to see if Ben had called, realizing his battery had died. "Dammit, forgot to recharge it. I wonder if this guy pretending to be me has a phone charger here."

* * *

Jed Stark continued running along, dragging Ben and Alfie into the suburbs. It was well after dark when they arrived at Adam's house. Jed Stark began barking as Ben looked at the mailbox.

"Milligan," Ben said as he looked up the house. "Isn't it kind of weird that Adam's last name is still on the mailbox when both him and his mom died a long time ago?"

"The yard is very well maintained for a dead person's home," Alfie said. "Do you think that Adam's mother returned to her life after she was brought back?"

"Maybe, but I'm still wondering why she was brought back, and by whom," Ben said as he shined a flashlight into Kate's car. "Adam said that his mom was his only family besides his brothers. They're dicks, but they don't seem like the kind of dicks who'd raise someone from the dead."

"Adam is in that house," Alfie said as. "Do you think he is in danger?"

"Only one way to find out," Ben told him as Alfie went to ring the doorbell. Ben pulled him back before his finger could reach the button. "Not like that, Alfie. Not like that. We have to sneak in, just in case whatever's in there isn't friendly towards company. Come on, we'll sneak in through the back. Go find somewhere to hang out, Jed, we'll be back with Adam soon."

As the two Hunters headed to the back of the house to go in through the kitchen, another car was pulling up in the driveway...

* * *

Adam had been tired enough to have fallen asleep on the bed as he waited for his phone to charge. The sooner he got ahold of Ben and Alfie, the sooner they could figure out what was going on.

* * *

Ben had picked the lock on the back door, letting himself and Alfie in through the kitchen. They pulled out their flashlights as they made toward the living room.

"Adam has to be here somewhere," Ben whispered. "They probably have him tied up or something. You find the basement, I'll check upstairs. We'll meet back here in ten minutes, no exceptions, got it?"

"Understood," Alfie said. "Be careful, Ben, I wish no bodily harm to come to you."

"Uh... yeah," Ben said as he headed to the living room when his flashlight suddenly died on him. "Dammit."

Ben stumbled around in the dark, trying to find the stairs just as the other Adam came in through the front door. The other Adam headed toward the kitchen, just as Alfie had found the basement door. The other Adam turned on the light and saw Alfie standing at the open door.

"Adam, I am relieved to see you are not harmed," Alfie told him. "I trust you are aware of the events that have transpired since your death."

"You could say that," the other Adam said as he walked closer to Alfie. "Why don't you fill me in, just to be safe?"

* * *

Ben had finally made his way upstairs. "Adam?" Ben whispered as he heard a noise. He made his way toward the bedroom, ready to use his flashlight as a weapon. He also had the angel blade in his other hand, just in case. He was about to check out the bedroom when a lamp smashed over his head, knocking him out. As Ben hit the ground, the angel blade slid across the floor and under Adam's bed as he slept. Kate stood over Ben, pushing him onto his back with her foot.

The real Adam was sleeping heavily as Kate dragged Ben past the door and towards the stairs. The stress of everything that was happening has taken its toll on him, making him fall asleep almost as soon as his head had hit the pillow.

* * *

"And that is the entire tale," Alfie said. "Your mother has been brought back by unknown forces, for a reason we do not know."

The other Adam just started laughing.

"What is so funny?" Alfie asked as the other Adam leaned in close.

"I know who brought her back, dimwit," other Adam whispered into his ear. "And I know why. But I'm not gonna tell you."

"Why is that?" Alfie asked as other Adam just smirked.

"Because you're going to be too busy dying," other Adam said as he gave Alfie a good shove, sending him down the basement steps. Alfie landed hard at the bottom, hitting his head on the concrete floor and losing consciousness. Seconds later, Kate had dragged Ben into the kitchen.

"I think we have a problem," Kate told him.

"I'll say," Adam told her. "Mom, where am I right now? Because apparently, I'm in two places at once."

* * *

Ben moaned as he opened his eyes, finding his hands bound behind his back. The basement was dark as he tried to look around.

"Adam? Alfie?" Ben asked.

"Ben, is that you?" Alfie asked while tied up behind Ben.

"No, it's Matt Damon," Ben told him.

"Mr. Damon, something is wrong with my friend Adam," Alfie said as Ben just sighed.

"You saw Adam?" Ben asked.

"He pushed me down the stairs," Alfie told him."I fear something has happened to him."

"Yeah, well, I think something's going to happen to us if we don't escape," Ben said.

* * *

Kate and the other Adam watched the real Adam as he slept on the bed. The other Adam was holding a sharp hunting knife in his hand.

"I can cut his throat real easily," other Adam said.

"No, we need to know where he came from, and how he found out about us," Kate told him. "Tie him to the bed, we'll let the family deal with him when they get here."

 **Next: The Family Reunion From Hell!**


	11. Let It Be, Part 3

Seven-year-old Adam could only see the dim lights over him as he was wheeled down the hallway. The boy had been struck by a car and had been clinging to what little life he had left. He would have died of organ failure had someone not stepped in with an offer to save his life.

"It's going to be okay," an echoing voice told him. Adam couldn't tell who it was talking to him, the voice was so distant as the child drifted closer to death. Soon Adam was laying on a table as two men in surgical masks stood over him.

"Just hang on, Adam," one of the men said as he held up a rib spreader. "By the time we're done, you're going to be a whole new man."

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #9**

 **"Let It Be, Part 3"**

Adam bolted up in the bed, seeing it was daylight outside. He wasn't sure what was a dream and what was real anymore, given that he'd seen his mother alive and well downstairs just last night. Was she real and his friends Ben and Alfie were the figments of his imagination? Or were they real, and he'd only just imagined seeing his mother? Looking at the alarm clock, Adam saw it was after nine a.m.

"Damn!" Adam said as he looked around for his phone, which was missing. Then came the horrifying realization that he was laying on the bed with no shirt or shoes, knowing that he'd gone to sleep fully dressed. He also had a cut along his upper chest, where blood had recently dried on it.

Adam got off the bed but fell forward as he realized his ankle had been chained to the bedpost. The door opened, revealing the other Adam, standing there with Adam's clothes and cell phone crammed into a bag.

"Okay, I guess this is a thing that's happening," Adam said as he stood up. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Adam. You sleep like a rock. You didn't even wake up when I cut you."

"You can't be Adam," Adam said as the other Adam lifted his shirt, revealing a scar on his chest that the real Adam didn't have. A scar from having surgery as a seven-year-old after being struck by a car. Adam looked down at his chest, remembering that the angels had healed every scar and wound he'd had when they raised him from the dead. "Where are my things?"

"Right here in this bag. Sorry, had to cut your shirt off of you to see what you really are. No scars? No monster blood? You seem to be 100% human, but a full dissection should tell us the truth."

"I am 100% human, you dick!"

"I don't know what you are, or who those two losers are in the basement, but we're going to cut all three of you open this afternoon and scoop out all of those organs. You'll get to live forever, in a sense."

"I've survived a lot more than being half-naked in my own bedroom," Adam told him. Well, except for the one time when his mother walked in on him during a Baywatch marathon. Adam couldn't look into his mother's eyes for a week after that."When I get free, I'm coming for you, whatever you are."

"I'll be waiting," other Adam as he looked at his double. "See you around."

Adam grabbed the lamp and tossed it at the door as other Adam just laughed as he walked away. The real Adam tugged at his chained ankle, hoping Ben and Alfie were okay, and that's when he saw the angel blade sticking out from under the bed.

* * *

"Okay, so based on everything that's happened so far," Ben said as he saw daylight coming through the basement window. "What's your theory, Alfie?"

"I don't know about Adam, but I'm guessing that when his mother had been raised, she had been brought back without a soul," Alfie told him. "That would explain why she was perfectly fine with dragging you downstairs and tying you up."

"Yeah, but that still leaves the mystery of who brought her back," Ben said. "Adam said he had no other family. My money's on the Adam who shoved you down the stairs being a ghoul."

"Perhaps there was another ghoul who took Adam's form and assumed his place in his mother's life upon seeing she was back?" Alfie asked.

"Once again, that leaves open the question of _who_ raised her," Ben said."Ghouls eat the dead, they don't raise them from the grave to hang out as a family."

"That's enough out of you two," Kate said as she came downstairs, followed by other Adam, who dumped the real Adam's things into a garbage bin. "Get them to the garage. The family can dissect the one upstairs here, and take the other two home. These two look young and healthy enough to keep the family in fresh parts for a while."

"You sick, twisted bitch!" Ben shouted. "Where's our Adam!"

"He's enjoying some alone time up in his room," Kate said. "He'll be the first to die. So why don't you be good little boys and tell us how you found out about us? And who is that kid upstairs?"

"That is the real Adam," Alfie told her. "We climbed out of Hell together."

"Not buying it," other Adam said as he punched Alfie, knocking him out.

"Alfie?" Ben asked as he tried to turn his head. "Alfie!? I swear I'm going to cut your head off for pretending to be Adam!"

"Take that one out to the garage with the supplies the family will take back with them," Kate said as she pointed to Alfie, then looked at Ben. "I kind of like this one. He's got some fight in him. That should give us some entertainment value."

* * *

"Bastard steals my face, my clothes, and my friends," Adam said as he looked under the bed, feeling around the floorboards. "That was my favorite shirt, too."

Adam finally moved a loose floorboard and found the swiss army knife John Winchester had given to him on their first meeting. He'd told the boy not to tell his mother that he had it, so Adam hit it under the bed to keep it safe. It was the only real gift he'd ever received from his father.

Adam sat down on the bed and started to pick the ankle lock with one of the tools, hoping he could do it before anyone walked in on him. Then it was just a matter of finding some clothes and freeing Ben and Alfie before anything else happened. As the ankle chain fell off, Adam started rummaging through the room to find something he could use.

"I don't know who this guy is, but he's gonna pay for trying to be me," Adam said as he tucked the swiss army knife into the waistband of his pants. "Don't worry guys, I'm coming."

* * *

Three vehicles were driving down the street, all of them headed toward the Milligan home. It was the day of the family reunion, and they wanted to be one time. Kate had called earlier and said that there was a special surprise waiting for them when they got there. A fancy black Mercedes and two trucks, one red, and one black pulled up along the side of the street.

"They're here," Kate said as she looked over at other Adam. "Don't tell them about their surprise just yet."

"I need to make sure all the coolers are ready to be transported," other Adam told her. "I think they'll be pleased with this shipment."

As her Adam walked out, Kate opened the door and saw her family standing there, walking up to the house. "Come on in, we've been waiting for you."

Several tall men, two women, and two kids came into the house. The kids immediately headed to the couch with their cellphones in hand.

Kate's cousin Marcus hugged her. "We couldn't wait to see you again. Getting Adam's shipments through the mail just seemed so... impersonal. Speaking of which, where is the little guy?"

"He's making sure everything's ready for you," Kate said. "We've also got a surprise for you."

"Can I use the bathroom?" Trevor, another of Kate's cousins, asked.

"It's right upstairs," Kate told him. "Wait, is this everyone?"

"Family's fallen on hard times since... the incident," Marcus told her. "Your uncle is dealing with a last-minute business call, he'll be in shortly. And of course, Nana's been under the weather, but she sends her love."

* * *

Alfie woke up on the floor of the garage, feeling the cold pavement under his body. He stared up at several medical coolers sitting stacked near the door.

"Ben? Are you here?"

Alfie realized his hands were duct taped behind his back as he struggled to get free. He tried to get up, using a trick Ben taught him to get his legs through his arms so that his bound hands were now in front of him. Now he just had to find something to cut through the tape.

* * *

Ben struggled with his ropes, hearing several voices coming from upstairs.

"What the hell is going on in this house? Okay, Ben, focus. Patrick taught you how to get through things like this. Take a deep breath, Ben. Calm down and concentrate. It's only rope, I can do this."

* * *

As other Adam headed out to the garage, the real Adam was upstairs, searching the rooms but couldn't find a pair of shoes that would fit him.

"Alright, looks like I'm Die Harding my way through this," Adam told himself as he held the angel blade in his hand. "If they've hurt my buddies, I'm not holding back."

Adam stopped and looked at himself in a mirror. "They want to screw with Adam Milligan's head, they're getting every ounce of Hell I have in me."

* * *

Alfie had found a saw blade and began cutting the tape on his hands. He finally broke free and rubbed his wrists. "I must help Ben and Adam."

As Alfie was about to open the door, the other Adam walked in, just shaking his head in disapproval.

"I was hoping the family would take you home alive to keep your parts fresh, but I guess they can salvage what's left," the other Adam said as he cracked his knuckles.

* * *

Trevor was coming out of the bathroom when he ran into the real Adam. "Why are you shirtless?"

"Trevor?" Adam asked, recognizing his cousin from when they were kids. "The family's already here?"

"Yeah, we're all downstairs," Trevor told him as he looked at his half-naked cousin. "Go put a shirt on, we're all waiting for you. Wait a minute... where are your scars?"

Adam just stared at the floor, then stared back up before he sucker-punched Trevor, knocking him unconscious. "Never liked you, anyway."

* * *

The other Adam was laying unconscious on the floor as Alfie stood over him., The other Adam had slipped in oil, giving Alfie the chance to hit him over the head with one of the coolers.

"My apologies, false Adam," Alfie said as he felt how heavy the cooler was and opened it. "Then again, maybe I'm not."

* * *

Ben had finally freed himself and headed up the stairs, coming face to face with Marcus.

"What do we have here?" Marcus asked as he punched Ben, knocking him out, causing the young man to tumble down the stairs. "No one escapes from our family, boy."

* * *

Adam managed to sneak downstairs without anyone seeing him, hiding in the closet before another of his cousins spotted him. Adam recognized most of them from when he was younger, just not the women or the children on the couch. The only cousin he was fond of wasn't in sight, at least not yet.

Soon, Marcus walked in with Ben slung over his shoulder. "Gonna take this one out to the car and tie him up good. You were right, Kate, we will be able to have some fun with this one. As soon as our Uncle gets in here, we can-"

"We can do what?" a voice asked as everyone looked at the door, seeing Monroe Styne standing in the doorway with a cane in his hand and a neck brace. He was still recovering from multiple spinal chord surgeries to strengthen his neck and spine after his last little encounter with a Hunter.

"Some intruders broke into the house last night, one of them claiming to be Adam," Kate said. "But he can't be, the real Adam's been with me this whole time. And he doesn't have any scars on him from the surgeries."

"Surgeries?" Adam asked himself.

"Show me," Monroe said as they headed upstairs, finding Trevor knocked out on the floor. "Search the house, I want this boy found so we can examine him."

* * *

Adam took the chance to rush out to the garage, where Alfie was tying the other Adam up. Adam hugged his friend tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Adam, I am glad to see that you are not dead," Alfie told him. "Where are your shirt and shoes?"

"This asshat swiped them," Adam said. "Help me get his shirt off so we can go get Ben and get the hell out of here."

Minutes later, the real Adam had pulled on the shirt, looking at the other Adam's body, which had scars all over it from replacing several body parts to make his stronger and live much longer. Adam thought his doppelganger's black dress shoes would be too uncomfortable to run in, so he left them alone.

"What happened to him?" Alfie asked.

"The Styne family happened to him," Adam said. "They like to... operate on each other, give each other extra parts and stronger limbs to make themselves as close to immortal as you can get. They wanted to pull this stunt on me and my mom growing up, but mom ran away, not wanting anything to do with the Stynes. So she took her mother's maiden name and raised me alone, with the rare visit from my dad. That is until we were eaten by ghouls. We can't beat these guys, Alfie, they're too strong. You think you stab one in a vital organ, it'll turn out he's got an extra two keeping him going. We have to find Ben and run, now."

"He was in the basement," Alfie told him.

"Not anymore, those pricks took him out to their car," Adam told him as he saw the door was starting to open. He took Alfie's hand as the two quickly hid. Marcus and Trevor walked in and began searching around.

"Adam, wake up," Marcus said as he smacked his younger cousin awake.

"That string bean got the drop on me," the other Adam said as he was untied. "I'm going to dissect him myself."

"We've torn the whole house apart, they're not there," Trevor said. "They must have run off."

"Doesn't matter, we've still got the other one," Marcus said as he put an arm around the other Adam's shoulder. "Go get your hunting clothes on, kid, while we load up the coolers. You up for a good old-fashioned family hunt?"

"Haven't had one of those in a while," the other Adam smiled. "Who are we hunting?"

"The one that didn't get away," Marcus told him. "Winner gets his pick of the kid's organs and limbs once we harvest him."

"I want that fake Adam," the other Adam told him. "I want to rip him open myself."

"In due time," Marcus told him. "No one escapes the Stynes for long. Go, get ready."

The real Adam just looked at Alfie as they watched Marcus and the other Adam leave the garage. "We have to get to Ben, now."

The two headed outside, just in time to see a truck pulling out of the driveway and taking off. Adam searched the windows of the two trucks that were left behind. "He's in that car! Where's the Impala?"

"Up the street," Alfie told him as the rest of the family headed outside. Adam pushed Alfie into the bushes.

"Go! I'll hold them off!" Adam shouted as he looked at the Styne family. Only the fake Adam and Kate weren't present. "How'd you do it? How'd you get my mom back? Better yet, how'd you get another me? Did you... raise that version of me from the dead, too?"

"We didn't raise that Adam from the dead," Monroe told him with a laugh. "We cloned him from the real Adam."

 **Next: Say What?!**


	12. Let It Be, Part 4

**1997**

"What did you do to him?" Kate Milligan asked her Uncle Monroe as they stood in the hallway outside of Adam's bedroom.

"We made him better," Monroe told her as he put his hands on her shoulders. "Adam was dead when we brought him here, we had to replace virtually everything. Now he's stronger, he won't be hurt as easily. It would take something inhumanly strong to harm him now."

"I just wanted my son to live, I didn't want you to experiment on him," Kate said.

"Adam is the first human in history to receive a full body organ transplant," Monroe told her. "Every piece of him is now twice as strong as it was. But we can still make him stronger. We can make him immortal. We can make both of you immortal."

"You'll never touch my son again," Kate told him. "I knew this was a mistake. You've turned my little boy into a freak show. Just... leave us alone."

Kate walked away from Monroe and headed back to Adam's room. The boy was laying in his bed in his underwear, with his scarred body visible. The main scar going down his chest, the scars along his arms and legs to replace muscle tendons, and a scar running down his back where his spinal cord had been strengthened. While most of his scars would heal on their own, many of them would remain with him until his death a few years later, when Adam would be caught off guard and eaten by Ghouls.

"It'll be alright, baby," Kate said as she ran a hand through his hair. "You'll never have to see those people again."

Monroe headed back to the operating room, seeing the bloody mess that had been made trying to save Adam. Skin tissue, old organs, blood and other pieces. And that's when Monroe started getting an idea...

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #10**

 **"Let It Be, Part 4"**

 **2009**

Monroe headed to the top floor of his mansion, gently knocking on the door.

"Nana?"

Monroe slowly opened the door, looking at a rocking chair facing toward the window.

"I already know, Monroe. Kate and Adam are dead," an old woman's voice came from the chair without turning to face him.

"How did you-"

"I know everything that happens in this family, no matter how estranged we become. We can bring her back, Monroe."

"But how? We don't have the Book of the Damned."

"We don't need the book for a simple resurrection. I have spells for that, and a few other things that might come in handy, all of them copied from the book itself before it was lost. You will find where Kate she was buried and bring her back to us."

"And what about Adam?"

"I love all my grandchildren, but Adam had grown up to be a bit... problematic. I blame his father's blood. But that's why we have a spare, is it not?"

"He's not ready," Monroe told her nervously. "He's the first clone we've ever fully succeeded in growing. We're still subliminally programming him."

"Then get him ready, we want him to be there when his mother returns," Monroe was getting ready to leave when she said something else. "Are we forgetting something, child?"

"Of course," Munroe stammered nervously. "I love you, Nana."

"Good boy. Now go, make our family complete again."

Monroe headed downstairs to the secret lab hidden within the walls of the mansion. He slowly approached a cylinder filled with liquid, where a naked clone of Adam was breathing through an oxygen mask. For years, the Stynes had looked into cloning human subjects for stronger body parts, but up until the last few years, they still hadn't made their big break through. Adam was the first successful clone, and if this one woke up and performed his duties perfectly, there would be more after more experimentation.

"It's time for you to wake up, son," Monroe said gently as he put his hand on the glass.

* * *

Jacob and Eldon Styne had found the area where Kate and Adam had been buried after Adam's Hunter funeral. The graves were marked to tell that there was someone buried there, but the men were able to figure out who was who after digging up Adam and making sure he was dead, then reburying him after finding there was nothing they could salvage from his burnt corpse.

"Okay, let's do this," Jacob said as he pulled out the parchment and started chanting the resurrection spell. "How long will this take?"

The next morning, the men returned to find everything around the area was dead. The grass, the leaves, everything that once was green and fertile was now brown and dead.

"I think it worked," Jacob said as a hand suddenly burst up through the dirt and grabbed his leg. He screamed like a little girl as Eldon just smirked.

"Yeah, it worked."

* * *

Less than two weeks after their deaths, Kate and Adam Milligan were back to their normal lives... almost. Kate had indeed been brought back without a soul, giving her a newfound bravery and unwillingness to put up with anyone threatening her or her son. With no soul came no conscience, and Kate was easily talked into rejoining her family.

Adam, meanwhile, had been grown and programmed with an undying loyalty to his family, the Stynes. While he would continue going to medical school, the young clone would soon find that a life as a mortician would be more suited to the family's needs. A job where he could harvest organs freely, sending the freshest and healthiest ones to the Stynes for their own purposes.

* * *

A few years later, the cloned Adam would just happen upon the dead family members as he was dropping off a fresh shipment. Of course, Nana Styne had the answer to their problems.

"Only bring back Munroe," Nana ordered as her chair faced out the window. "Everyone else can be replaced. We have more family spread throughout the continents, they can be summoned to rebuild our legacy."

"What about the curse?" Adam asked her. "My mother was brought back without a soul."

"If Munroe returns without a soul, so much the better," Nana told Adam without turning to face him. "Souls are for the weak, child. They only get in the way. Now, go and do this for Nana."

"Yes, Nana," Adam said. "I love you."

"Good boy, Nana loves you, too,"

* * *

 **Now**

"You brought my mom back before the Angels brought me back," Adam said as he stood in front of the Stynes. "But the Angels said...she doesn't have a soul, does she? My mom's still in Heaven, waiting for me, she has to be."

"One of the drawbacks of using a spell from the Book of the Damned," Monroe told him. "Using the book always comes with a price. Like when our Adam used the same spell to resurrect me after my little... death. See this neck brace? Still trying to find a neck bone that doesn't break under pressure, cursing me to wear this brace for the rest of my life. The curse of the book. But don't worry boy, we'll send you to meet your mother very soon."

The Stynes starting to surround him when the car horn of the Impala sounded and the cherry red car plowed through the yard, hitting some of the Stynes and knocking them out of the way.

"Adam, get in!" Alfie shouted as Trevor was about to grab Adam from behind, which is when Jed Stark jumped into Trevor's face, scratching and biting.

"Good boy!" Adam said as he grabbed his Hellhound puppy and jumped into the passenger side seat. The car backed out onto the road and started driving.

"Don't worry, boys, they won't get far," Munroe said. "I know where they're going."

* * *

"Do we know where Ben is?" Alfie asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Maybe," Adam said. "There's a wooded area a few miles from here. They said they were going to hunt Ben, so that's most likely where they've taken him. We'll find a place to park, gear up, and-"

"Adam, this is your family," Alfie said. "Do you think you'll be able to-"

"Let's get one thing clear," Adam told him. "Those douche canoes are NOT my family. You and Ben? You're the only family I have. You're the- you're the only family I need."

"I believe Ben mandated that were to be no chick flick moments," Alfie said.

"Good point," Adam smirked. "Now let's go save our brother."

* * *

"Wake up, boy," Marcus said as he kicked Ben in the stomach. Ben's eyes shot open as he sat up and looked around as several men standing around him. "Time to play."

"Sorry, not into playing with old men," Ben said. "I'm cool with that lifestyle, but I just don't swing that way."

"Well, if you feel that way, we can just slit your throat right now," Marcus told him. "Or we can give you a two-minute head start into those woods before we start hunting you down like a mangy animal."

"How charitable," Ben sarcastically said as he stood up. "What do I get if I win?"

"You won't," Marcus said. "You die no matter the outcome. Time's wasting, boy, you'd better get moving."

"You don't know who you're screwing with, buddy," Ben said as he took off into the woods. The Stynes started laughing among themselves as they waited for the two minutes to pass. As soon as Ben felt he was far enough in, he started looking around. "Alright, they want to play?" Ben asked as he saw some vines and pulled down off of a tree. "Let's play. The name of game is 'Predator', and I'm about to full Schwarzenegger on your asses."

* * *

Adam opened the trunk and found a pair of sneakers and his jacket. He started grabbing guns and knives, loading them up in his pockets.

"Don't just stand there, Alfie, arm yourself," Adam told him as he tossed his friend the angel blade.

"I do not know how to use a gun," Alfie said as he put the blade under his belt.

"Then take some knives," Adam ordered. "These guys aren't going to fight clean, I guarantee that. They're out for Ben's blood, and I'll be damned if they're going to get it. These guys aren't human, they're stronger and faster than a lot of monsters."

"Adam, it's just the two of us against a dozen of them."

"Yeah, I feel sorry for them, too."

* * *

Marcus and his cousins and uncles had split up to start the search. Donnie and Rob, two of the elder uncles headed deeper into the woods, their guns armed and ready to just disable Ben when they caught him.

As they got further in, Rob noticed the toe of Ben's sneaker peeking out from behind a tree. He silently motioned for Donnie to circle around, where they'd ambush him. They carefully made their way around and jumped out, seeing it was only Ben's sneaker sitting there.

"What the-"

"Surprise, dickwads!"

The two men turned around just in time for a tree branch to swing into their heads, knocking both men to the ground. Ben quickly grabbed their guns, standing in front of the men, now naked and camouflaged in mud and leaves to blend into the forest.

"You don't have the balls to kill us," Donnie told him. "As soon as we get up, we're going to break your legs and drag you screaming to your grave. But not before I personally rip open your rib cage and pull out your healthiest organs."

"You messed with my friends," Ben said angrily as he shot them both in the chest. The two started laughing as they stood up.

"You can't kill us, boy," Rob sneered. "We're Stynes. Stynes don't die!"

Ben just stood there, pretending like he was about to drop the guns when he just looked up at the men, shooting them both in the head, watching as they fell back to the ground with their eyes wide open. "Looks like they die pretty easily to me."

* * *

"Alright, Alfie, you ready to do this?" Adam asked as he closed the trunk.

"For Ben, I am," Alfie told him as they looked ahead at the woods ahead of them As they started walking, Adam's clone stood not too far away, his rifle aimed at the real Adam's head.

 **To Be Concluded...**


	13. Let It Be, Part 5

_2002_

It took a lot of saving, but Adam finally had earned enough to buy the new game system he'd wanted for so long. Knowing that his mother couldn't afford it, Adam realized he had to earn the money himself by doing odd jobs around the neighborhood. Mowing grass, shoveling snow, washing cars, walking dogs, and various other tasks that the neighbors needed to be done. And now here Adam was, holding his hard earned money in his hands. He was proud of what he'd accomplished on his own.

As Adam headed downstairs, he heard a noise coming from the kitchen. He looked around the corner and saw his mother sitting at the table, crying. Adam knew why, too. Another boyfriend had left, probably because Kate wouldn't take any of their abuse. Kate had raised a 12-old-son while working two jobs and wasn't about to take the crap of any man who wanted to be mentally or physically abusive. Kate Milligan knew she was a survivor and Adam was proof of that.

The boy walked into the kitchen and hugged her from behind, feeling the large wad of cash in his front pocket as he pressed up against her. Adam knew what he had to do.

"Let's go out for a nice dinner, my treat," Adam told her. "Dinner and a movie at the nicest place in town."

"No, baby, you worked hard for your money," Kate told him. "You need to spend it on what you want."

"I am," Adam smiled. "I want to take my mom out for a night on the town. And that's just the beginning, you'll see. Someday I'm gonna take care of you the way you've taken care of me my whole life. I'm never going to let anyone hurt you ever again."

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #11**

 **"Let It Be, Part 5"**

 _Now_

"Adam, if Ben is already in the woods, how do we find him?" Alfie asked.

"Jed knows his scent," Adam told him as he bent down to pat his Hellhound puppy, just as a rifle shot hit the tree behind him. "What the-"

"It's the other you!" Alfie realized as he saw Adam's clone standing in the bushes not too far away.

"Jed, lead Alfie to Ben!" Adam shouted as he looked at Alfie. "Go! I'll be behind you!"

Alfie followed the puppy's movements through the brush, hoping he could keep up with the invisible Hellhound. Adam reached into his jacket and pulled out his machete as he saw his clone walking toward him with the rifle.

"So, you're my clone," Adam said with a smirk. "Too bad they programmed you to be a dick."

"What do you mean?" the clone Adam asked as he kept the gun aimed. "You're the clone. You're the one who needs to be put down."

"You don't even remember dying, do you? Me and my mom were killed by Ghouls in 2009," Adam told him. "Oh my God, they never told you, did they?"

"No," the clone said. "There was a car accident and I was in a coma for months-"

"Is that what they told you?" Adam asked. "Is that what they made you believe? That you've always been loyal? Do you even have any of my memories? Do you even know who our dad is?"

"He was a friend of my mother's that abandoned us before she found out she was pregnant," the clone told him. "I never the met the guy."

"The Stynes screwed with your head, man," Adam told him. "Our dad's name was John Winchester. He was a Hunter. I only met him a few times myself, but he taught me a lot in those few meetings. Doesn't make up for being a deadbeat dad, but I remember all the father/son stuff he tried to cram into a few hours. Getting our first beer? Learning to drive? Getting our first knife? Giving me enough courage to go out and get my first kiss? Do you even know who your first kiss was? Do you even know who you are, or did the Stynes erase all the parts of me they didn't like, up to and including me being-"

"Shut-up, you're trying to mess with me," the clone said. Adam having brought it up, the clone now realized that he had no memories of anything Adam had mentioned, and anything he did remember were just hollow memories that he knew were there, but couldn't actually feel himself having done them. "How do I know that you're not a clone? You don't even have any scars."

"The angels fixed me up when they brought me back," Adam told him. "I'm 100% Adam Milligan. No extra organs, no enhancements. Can you say the same?"

"Shut-up," the clone said as the rifle started to shake.

"You don't have to keep doing this," Adam said as he got closer. "If you are really cloned from me, and unless they bred out your conscience, then you know what you're doing is wrong. You can change. You see, me and my friends? We're on a little road trip to try to redeem ourselves. You can join us, bro. You can be one of the good guys. Just put down the gun and help me save my buddy. You can still make things right for yourself, and for our mom. They got to her, too. They messed with her head because she doesn't have a soul now."

"No, it's a trick," the clone said.

Adam started tossing all of his weapons to the ground, tossing off his jacket as well. The young man felt like he needed to save the person with his face. Maybe if he could save this version of him, he could get on the road to start saving himself. "I'm unarmed. We're the same person, I know it. You can help me and my friends save lives instead of taking them. Put the gun down, brother. Please."

The clone slowly lowered the gun as a few tears started falling. Adam calling him a brother felt genuine, something he'd never heard from any of the Stynes. "I don't know why, but I believe you. Maybe we are the sa-"

 **BLAM!**

The clone looked down, seeing his shirt was slowly getting redder and redder. He fell forward as Adam caught him, seeing a large bullet hole in his back.

"NO!" Adam shouted as he looked up, seeing Monroe standing there with a gun in his hands. "What did you do?"

"Shut-up, boy, he was just a clone, we can make another one," Monroe told him. "Or we can bring this one back. Never was sure if clones had souls, but apparently you just proved that he's at least got a piece of yours. A simple resurrection might fix that."

Monroe aimed the gun at Adam's head. "Or I could scoop out your brain and replace it with this one's. A little reprogramming and-"

One machete swipe from behind sent Monroe's head flying into the grass as his body fell down to the ground. Adam looked up and saw his mother standing there, having heard Adam's story to his clone.

"Mom?" Adam asked, now worried that machete would come for his own head.

"I've been wanting to do that for a very long time," Kate said, even though she didn't feel one way or the other about having just killed her uncle. "And you're-"

"I'm the real Adam," the young man as he held his clone's body in his arms. "Why did you save me? I thought you didn't have a soul."

"That doesn't mean that I'll let anyone hurt my child, clone or not," Kate told him. Looking at the dead Adam's body, she now fully realized that she truly no feelings for anything. For the first time since being brought back, she fully realized what not having a soul meant. "The Stynes won't stop until you and your friends are dead."

"We can fend for ourselves," Adam told her. "Come with us. My friend is an angel, maybe we can find a way to get your soul back."

"No, for what I have to do, I can't have it," Kate said as she touched his cheek. "Adam, I know I can't feel it, but I know that I'm supposed to love you. Which is why I can't come with you. You were right, the Stynes manipulated me since I can't feel right or wrong anymore. But I know that I need to do what's best for you, even if it means never getting to see you again."

"What are you going to do?" Adam asked.

"Give you the life I always wanted you to have," Kate told him. "Here's what's going to happen..."

* * *

Alfie was chasing Jed Stark through the woods to try to find Ben, which was when two bodies strung up in rabbit snares swung down in front of him. Two of the Stynes were dead, their throats having been slashed.

"Did Ben do this?" Alfie asked as Marcus grabbed him from behind in a tight bear hug.

"Your little friend's been killing everyone," Marcus said as he squeezed tighter. "So I'm gonna gut you and string your carcus up to send a little message to him."

A knife entered the back of the man's neck, coming through the front of his throat. The man gurgled with blood in his mouth as he dropped Alfie, falling onto his side and into the grass. Ben stood there with the hunting knife in his hand, still covered in mud and leaves. Ben grabbed Alfie and hugged him tightly.

"You're alive! I thought you and Adam were goners. There's more of them out there," Ben told him. "We need to move, now."

"Ben, are you okay?" Alfie asked. "How many of them have you-"

"It's alright, Alfie, they're barely even human," Ben said as he looked down at Marcus. "You have to take them out in the head to put them down, otherwise they spring right back up. Where's Adam?"

"His clone showed up, Adam's trying to deal with him,"

"Clone?"

"It is a long story, we must go to him"

A rustling was heard in the distance, followed by the cocking of rifles.

"Okay," Ben told him as they started running. "Let's find Adam and finish this."

* * *

Adam was alone on the edge of the forest, still holding his clone in his arms. He reached over and slowly closed the clone's eyelids.

"You can rest now," Adam told him. "I don't know where you are now, but hopefully it's better than being in this family."

"Adam!" Alfie shouted as he got out of the forest, with Ben and Jed Stark behind him. He saw Adam holding his twin. "Are you alright?"

"No," Adam told him. "I got through to him before he was killed. He was going to come with us. He was going to be one of us and help save people. But Monroe-"

"You can fill us in later," Ben said as he picked up one of Adam's spare knives. "More Stynes are coming, they are majorly pissed. I kind of took out seven of them."

Adam stood up and grabbed the machete his mother had left behind, watching as Alfie pulled out the angel blade. The trio watched the woods as the rest of the Stynes were heading out of the woods.

"Alright, boys, we wanted to be Hunters," Adam said as he held up his machete. "Let's hunt."

* * *

A knock came on the door of Nana Styne's room as Kate slowly walked in. "Nana?"

"I already know everything," Nana said as the chair faced out the window. "I know all of the men are dead. I know our Adam is dead. And I know the deal you made with your son to protect him."

"I'm sorry, Nana," Kate whispered. "I-"

"Silence, girl. Come, sit next to Nana," the old woman said as Kate slowly came closer and sat down next to the chair. "Nana understands. Adam is your son, you just want what's best for him. And Nana is willing to accept this, with a few conditions. With Monroe dead, someone must continue to carry on this family's legacy. You will do what this family has done for generations, my dear. Without a soul, it shouldn't be too hard. You will lead what's left of our kin to greatness."

"Okay," Kate said. "And what about Adam?"

"You promised to keep the Stynes away from Adam, and as long as he never interferes in the family's business again, we won't bother him," a grayish, bony and severely wrinkled hand reached over and touched Kate's cheek. "But the moment the boy crosses us again, we will deliver the full force of this family upon his doorstep. Adam's friends will be flayed in front of him, and then the boy will be brought to Nana personally for his punishment."

"I understand," Kate said. "I love you, Nana."

Kate stared at the old woman who resembled the Crypt Keeper. Nana Styne was over two centuries old thanks to the Book of the Damned. She was immortal now, but her aging process had never stopped. Such is the curse of the book. She leaned over and kissed Kate's forehead.

"And Nana loves you."

* * *

The clone of Adam was resting on a funeral pyre, being given a Hunter's funeral, and then would be buried in the spot where Adam himself was laid to rest years ago, with the Stynes being buried in unmarked graves deep in the woods. As the boys watched the fire burn, Adam just stared at the two young men he now considered his brothers.

"How would you guys feel about staying here? In this town?" Adam asked. "In between hunts, I mean. The house is kind of... mine now, and it'd be a shame to let it go to waste."

"What about your mother?" Ben asked.

"We made a deal. She keeps the Stynes off of our back, and we don't screw with them," Adam said. "We just keep out of each other's hair."

"You're never going to see her again, are you?" Alfie asked.

"She gave up her freedom to stay with the Stynes to protect me," Adam said, trying to hold back the tears. "I know my mother's soul is up in heaven, but seeing her today..."

Ben put an arm around Adam's shoulder to comfort him. "I call the master bedroom."

"What about the clone's job at the morgue?" Alfie asked. "And the people who will notice your mother's disappearance?"

"Got it covered, Alfie. We'll just say she went to stay with some relatives for a while. We can use the money we make hustling pool and stuff to cover the utilities while we're out on the road. And as for the morgue-"

"We can use that to our advantage," Ben realized. "Morgue workers have access to stuff, like say... dead man's blood?"

"You want me to work in a morgue?"

"Maybe you can do it part-time, between Hunting gigs," Ben told him. "It'll give us a little extra cash flow."

"I guess we can try it for a little while," Adam said. "I found out something else from my mom before she left. My cousin Cyrus... the only person in that damn family that I cared about besides my mom. He was killed two years ago in cold blood... by Dean Winchester. Those bastards took away another thing that I cared about."

"What are you going to do?" Ben asked.

"I don't know, I just know that after all the pain the Winchesters have brought own on me, I just want to return a little bit of it to them. Thanks to Sam and Dean... I lost my life, my mother, and one of my closest friends."

"Hey, you still got us," Ben told him as he playfully mussed Adam's hair. "And we're not going anywhere anytime soon. There isn't a person or demon out there that can tear us apart."

* * *

 _Somewhere not on Earth or Heaven_

"Let's check up on our new favorite trio, shall we?"

The channels flipped until the remote stopped on Adam, Ben and Alfie burning the clone Adam's corpse.

"These guys are dorks, I don't want to go live with them."

"Come on, give them a chance. You need to make some new friends, and you're better off with them than Sam and Dean. You remember what happened the last time you got together with those guys."

"Fine, I'll think about it,"

"Good boy. These guys really don't seem so bad, I think you're going to get along really well," the person said as he shut the t.v. off. "Can't wait to see what they do for February sweeps," he said as he stood up and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a chocolate bar. As he unwrapped it, he stared up and smirked with a raised eyebrow. Gabriel took a bite out of the candy bar and stared directly at you, the reader. "See you real soon, kids."

 **Next: Azazel!**


	14. One Shot: A Supernatural Halloween

**Hey, Sam & Dean! It's a Supernatural Halloween!**

 _Western Springs_

 _Illinois_

 _1995_

12-year-old Sam Winchester stood in front of the bathroom mirror, admiring the vampire costume he'd made from scraps of material he was able to sneak past his father and brother. He had the cape, fangs, and other traditional aspects usually seen in the old movies. It looked cheap, but it would be good enough to get him some candy tonight. If he could get out of the motel room, that is. Sam and Dean's father had tracked a shapeshifter to the small town and given Dean strict orders to keep Sam safe, as was the norm for the older Winchester sibling.

Sam's 16-year-old brother Dean, sitting in the living room with his feet propped up on the coffee table, had occupied himself eating junk food while he was watching reruns of Baywatch.

"Why can't everything be in slow motion?" Dean smirked as he heard the bathroom door open. "Hey, Sammy, hope you're in the mood for something besides spaghetti o's. I got ahold of some decent hamburger meat at the store earlier, so we can eat like kings tonight," Dean said, although he was partly lying. He had just enough to make Sam a decent meal for once. Dean would just settle for a bowl of microwave pasta, but at least Sam would have something solid in his stomach. His little brother was starting to look a little thin and needed some meat on his bones.

"How do I look?" Sam asked as Dean turned his head to look at him.

"That's a loaded question, Sammy," Dean told him. "What the hell are you supposed to be?"

"I'm a vampire," Sam said.

"Sure you are," Dean said as he turned his attention back to the t.v. "Vampires may be extinct, but I'm pretty that when they were a thing they didn't dress like that. In fact, that's probably a pretty racist costume by vampire standards."

"I want to go trick or treating tonight," Sam told him. "This could be my last time trick or treating before I become a teenager."

"No way, Dad told us to stay put while he's hunting that shapeshifter," Dean told him. "We're staying right here tonight. I hear Stephen King's IT is on tonight, and I know how much you love clowns."

"He doesn't have to know," Sam said, ignoring Dean's comment. "And I'll split the haul with you."

"Sam, it's dangerous out there," Dean told him as he stood up. "You're my responsibility while Dad's away."

"I'm 12 years old, I'm old enough to take care of myself," Sam said.

"You're not even old enough to tie your shoes properly," Dean said as he pointed at Sam's untied shoes sitting by the door.

"Stop treating me like a baby!" Sam shouted.

"Aw, someone's cranky," Dean said with a smirk. "There's a juice box in the fridge with your name on it, buddy."

Sam stormed into his room and shut the door as Dean just chuckled. The oldest brother stood up and headed to the kitchen to get a soda, realizing the fridge was void of beverages. "Damn. Sammy, I have to go the store to get some soda! I'll be back in twenty minutes!"

Dean headed to the door, stopping to tie Sam's laces for him. He was sure that his little brother would spend the rest of the night sulking. As soon as Dean was gone, Sam peeked his head out of the bedroom, seeing Dean was gone. Within minutes, the boy snuck out of the bedroom and pulled on his shoes before grabbing a bag to collect candy in. Sam Winchester was going trick or treating, come Hell or high water.

* * *

An hour later, Dean returned to the room, having been distracted by the girl at the counter. He knocked on the door, hoping Sam would answer.

"Look, Sammy, I'm sorry, okay? It's just... if anything happened to you, I'd never forgive myself. It's not just about Dad saying I have to watch out for you, it's... I love you, Sammy. You're my kid brother and I just want to keep you safe, okay? If you got hurt, I'd never forgive myself," Dean leaned against the door. "I'll tell you what, you can put your crappy ass costume on and we'll go trick-or-treating around the block, but that's it. What do you say?"

Sam had just climbed in through the window, having lost his door key as he heard Dean talking to him through the door. He opened it and smiled. "Are you serious?"

"Just don't tell Dad," Dean told him. "Grab your crap, we have to make it quick."

Sam went to grab his stuff as Dean waited out in the living room.

"Remember, you said you'd give me 75% of the haul," Dean told him.

"Sure thing," Sam said as they headed out of the room. "Aren't you going to put on a costume?"

"I'm going as someone who's getting your ass back to this room before Dad calls," Dean told him.

Twenty minutes later, and the boys were already a good way through the block. Sam looked down into his bag, seeing all the generic candy and thought of something. "Dean, I heard the kids at the last house say that the house on the next street is giving full sized Kit Kats."

"That's out of bounds, buddy," Dean told him as Sam started giving him puppy dog eyes. "No, Sammy, don't. Don't you curl that lip! Don't you- Dammit, fine."

Dean looked down at Sam's shoes, which had become untied. He was about to say something when Sam kneeled down and tied it in a perfect knot. That's when he realized that were no at the last house, just a few drunken teenagers that Dean was jealous of for having their freedom on a night like this. "Let's.. take a shortcut through there."

Dean and Sam passed by an old electronics store with t.v.s in the window you could see yourself on. As they went past the window, Dean glared over at the t.v. and got the confirmation he needed when Sam's eyes flashed yellow.

"Thanks for taking me out tonight, Dean," Sam said as he put an arm around Dean and hugged him. "For once I feel normal."

"Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean," Dean said as he reached into his jacket pocket. He always carried a silver blade for emergencies and this thing that had taken his little brother was going to pay.

* * *

Back at the motel, the phone started ringing...

* * *

A woman in her early thirties was sitting in the old house, looking nervously at the clock on the wall. She was waiting for her son to lure Dean Winchester back so they could replace him as well. With both of John Winchester's sons out of action, killing the man himself would be no problem at all. John had tracked the shapeshifter to the Chicago suburb, leaving his boys holed up in a motel room while he went to handle what he thought was a simple kill.

What he didn't know was that the shapeshifter knew he was coming and had planted clues to keep him far away from her real location while she waited for one of the Winchester boys to leave the motel. Separately, they would be easy to pick off, just like young Sam was when he left to go trick-or-treating earlier.

Darla opened the door of the closet by the front door, looking down at the real Sam Winchester. He had been stripped down to his boxers so the shapeshifter could use his clothes to fool Dean. Sam's hands were bound behind his back, with a gag in his mouth.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you until your brother gets here," Darla said. "Then your father will see what happens when he messes with me and my family."

Sam tried to mumble as the shapeshifter smiled at him. "Don't worry, I'll make your deaths quick. Your father, however, is going to suffer. The great John Winchester is going to die a slow and painful death."

A knock came at the door as the woman went to answer, expecting to lure Dean in easily. Upon opening the door, she found Dean holding a silver knife to the shapeshifter's throat that was pretending to be his brother.

"Going to make this real simple," Dean told her. "Where's Sam?"

"Aren't you a clever one?" Darla asked. "He's in the closet."

"I know that, but where is he?" Dean joked, not being able to resist such a set-up.

Darla opened the closet and pulled Sam out.

"Sammy, are you okay?" Dean asked as the younger brother mumbled.s "You're the shapeshifter my dad's been hunting."

"Yes, and Daddy is far, far, away and he can't help you," Darla told him. "And by the time he does come home, it'll be far too late."

Before Dean could say anything, he felt something hit him on the back of the head. Dean hit the ground as the fake Sam ran over to his mother. After a few seconds, a fake Dean stood naked over the real teenager, his old skin laying in a steaming pile around his feet.

"Hurry up and get dressed," Darla told the fake Dean. "You two go back to the motel and I'll get rid of these two."

"Mom, can't we just leave them somewhere? Do you have to kill them?" fake Sam asked. "Dean was pretty nice to me."

"No, he was nice to his brother, he held a knife to your throat, remember?" Darla asked. "We're monsters to them. Now drag that one out to the car, I'll be right behind with the other one in a minute."

* * *

The shapeshifter Dean had put the real Dean on the bed, having already removed his shoes and socks. He started unbuttoning the real Dean's shirt and saw the necklace hanging around his neck. Shapeshifter Dean put his hand around it when the real Dean's eyes shot open and grabbed his arm.

"Hands off the merchandise, douche!" the real Dean said as he head butted the shapeshifter as hard as he could. Dean jumped off the bed and charged at the shapeshifter as the two started struggling. "I'm fighting a naked version of myself. This is going to come up a lot in therapy someday."

* * *

The shapeshifter Sam was pushing the real Sam toward the car. The shapeshifter sighed as he removed the gag.

"I'm sorry, Sam," the shapeshifter told him. "But my mom says that your dad will kill me and my family if we don't stop you."

"You're monsters, you hurt people," Sam told him. "Your mom's' been killing people and taking their forms for years."

"She's just trying to keep me and my brother safe," the shapeshifter told him.

"Is she?" Sam asked him. "Have you ever killed anyone?"

"No," the shapeshifter said. "I- I don't want to kill anyone, Sam. I just want to normal, like you."

"Then help me save my brother," Sam said. "Please."

The shapeshifter just stood there and closed his eyes, trying to decide what the right thing was to do.

* * *

"What is taking so long?" Darla asked as she opened the bedroom door, just as Dean and the shapeshifter fell out of the room, trading punches. Darla grabbed a ball bat and was ready to finish the real Dean when the door was kicked open. Everyone stood there as John Winchester stood there, shotgun in hand.

"Dad!" Dean shouted as John fired a blast at the shapeshifter Dean, sending him flying back against the wall.

"Go get your brother, now!" John shouted, which was when both Sam's came back into the room. "Sammy, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little cold," Sam said as he covered his bare chest with his arms. Darla grabbed the silver knife that Dean had dropped earlier and aimed for the real Sam's heart.

"NO!" shapeshifter Sam shouted as he got between them, taking the knife directly into his own heart as blood started flowing out of the wound as he fell into the real Sam's arms.

"I- I just wanted to be normal," shapeshifter Sam said in a whisper as the life heft his body. The real Sam felt bad and shed a few tears over the boy in his arms.

The shapeshifter Dean started to get up, just as the real Dean beheaded him with the machete his dad had tossed to him. The real Sam held the fake Sam in his arms, his eyes wide open as he died, as Darla angrily looked up at Sam.

"This is your fault," Darla told him. "You killed my sons."

"Don't worry, you'll be going to see them in about two seconds," John said as he pulled out an even larger machete to behead her.

* * *

Dean had wrapped a blanket around Sam's shoulders to keep him warm and let him wear his shoes as they walked out of the house behind their father. Sam didn't want his shoes or costume back from the shapeshifter, just wanting to forget about the night that had just happened.

"I told you boys were to stay in that room," John told them. "Dean, you nearly let you and brother get killed."

"I'm sorry, sir," Dean said, hanging his head in shame.

"We'll talk about your punishment when we get home," John told them. "Sammy, you get some clothes on and I'll take you to that little diner up the street for a late night dinner. Dean can just sit in his room and think about what he did."

"You were going to take me treat or treating?" Sam asked, looking up at Dean.

"Don't make a big deal out of it," Dean told him. "We were just going to go around the block. And you still owe me a lot of candy for even agreeing to take you out."

"I'll sneak you home some pie like I always do," Sam whispered to him.

Dean gave a little smile as he playfully pushed Sam.

"Jerk," Sam said.

"Bitch," Dean replied as he put an arm Sam's shoulder as they walked home.


	15. That Yellow-Eyed Bastard

_March 1991_

Kate Milligan had just put her six-month-old baby down for the night, kissing baby Adam as she

lay him in his crib. She hoped Adam would fall asleep soon since she had to be at work in a few hours. Luckily her neighbor across the street had agreed to watch Adam for Kate while she worked at the hospital.

"Good night, baby," Kate whispered as she watched the baby smile up at her. Kate turned off the light and walked out of the room to get some sleep herself. After a good fifteen minutes, baby Adam had fallen asleep, unaware of the life that was ahead of him. Soon, a man appeared next to his crib, just staring down at the innocent baby.

"Hello, Adam," the man with the yellow eyes said. "I'm your Uncle Azazel. You probably think I'm here to do something horrible, maybe bleed in your mouth and make you one of my children? Sorry, kid, you're just not special enough for that kind of role. But your daddy is really starting to piss me off, and I'd love nothing more than to dangle your dead little carcass right in his face. But where would the fun be in that? Especially since John doesn't even know you exist. Oh, Adam, we are going to have so much fun together."

The bedroom door started to open as Kate came in to check on Adam. As she opened the door, she saw the room was empty, with Adam sleeping peacefully in his crib.

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #12**

 **"That Yellow-Eyed Bastard"**

Over the years, Azazel had kept a very close eye on everyone associated with John and Mary Winchester. Friends, family, and associates were all being watched by the Yellow-Eyed Demon. John Winchester had become a pet project for the demon, not just because the man was hunting him, but because the Winchesters intrigued him so. Azazel was having so much fun screwing with the Winchester family. In a few shorts years, he'd have Sam leading his army of demons, and he was starting to grow quite fond of Adam as well.

John still wasn't aware of Adam's existence, which was giving Azazel more than enough time to play with the boy's head. From the first night he saw Adam lying in his crib, the demon knew there was something special about him, something... evil. The combination of Styne DNA and Winchester DNA had created something that Azazel knew he could one day use to his advantage, so over the years, Azazel kept a personal eye on the boy.

* * *

 _1995_

Adam was in the park with his mother on a warm summer day when he saw the ice cream cart.

"Mommy, can we get an ice cream?" Adam asked as he tugged at her pant leg.

"Okay, get one for me, too," Kate said as she handed Adam some money. The boy ran up to the cart.

"One rocket pop and one sundae cone, please,"

The ice cream man, with his back turned to the boy, just smiled as his eyes flashed yellow before turning around. "Right away, sir. My, you are very polite for such a small boy. You must have a very good mother."

"Yes, sir," Adam said as he handed the man the money. "She's right over there."

The ice cream man handed Adam the ice cream and just smiled. "Good for you, kid. You're a very lucky young man, and so well behaved. And well behaved young men start getting free ice cream next time they come see me."

"Really?" Adam asked with wide open eyes.

The ice cream man just leaned in with a vicious smile. "Really. Now go, before your ice cream melts."

"Okay, and thanks!" Adam said as he ran off with the ice cream.

"I can kill him anytime I please," Azazel said to himself. "In any manner I want. Thanks, John, you've given a hobby to play with during my downtime."

* * *

 _1997_

It didn't take long for the news of Adam's accident to reach Azazel, after all, he was the one who had set the whole thing up. The plan was Kate to be hit and killed and for Adam to be relocated to John Winchester's care. Azazel had grown tired of John's interference and knew with the addition of another son, he'd have less time to devote to hunting him. He just hadn't counted on Adam pushing his mother out of the way and getting hit himself.

"How does a seven-year-old boy survive being hit by a car at full speed?" Azazel asked himself as he stood over Adam's bed after he'd returned home from the Styne's operating 's when he realized there really was something special about Adam Milligan. And that's when he realized just how Adam would fit into his plans. "Rest now, Adam. Soon you're going to have a very large role in the Apocalypse."

Adam slowly opened his eyes and saw no one around.

* * *

A few years later, John Winchester had finally learned that Adam was his son. While it had come as a shock to him, John did want to at least see him. It took a lot of convincing, and a lot of arguing with Kate, but she had finally agreed to let John spend time with Adam, who had just turned twelve.

"I'm not calling you dad," Adam said upon meeting John Winchester for the first time. "I don't even know you."

"Well, I'd like to change that, son-"

"Don't call me that,"

"Let's just get to know each other," John said, not really sure how to spend real quality time with a son he never knew. He barely even spent time with his other sons when not hunting. But Adam had grown up in a life that didn't involve killing monsters, and John wanted to keep it that way. So eventually the two ended up a ball game, where the two learned a little bit about each other. Well, enough from John that didn't involve killing creatures of the night.

"So, what, taking me to a ball game makes up for not being around for twelve years?" Adam asked as he watched the game.

"I should have been a part of your life a lot sooner, I know that," John told him. "And I'm sorry. But I'd like to be a part of your life now."

"Does this mean that you're going to be around a lot more?" Adam asked.

"Adam, I'm on the road most of the year working," John told him, not wanting to bring up the fact that Adam also had brothers. "But I would like to stop in to see you when I can."

"I don't know," Adam told him.

"Well, maybe there's something I can do to convince you."

After the ball game, John had taken Adam out to an empty field and spent the next few hours teaching him how to drive the Impala, which he would continue to do over the next few years whenever he came to town. Adam never saw John too often, and never once called him 'Dad' in those meetings, but in those few short times they were together, John felt like a real father and not a drill sergeant.

John was teaching Adam how to drive, how to hustle pool and poker for money, teaching him how to take care of a car, and all the things that he was teaching to Sam and Dean that didn't involve hunting. And all the while, Azazel was watching them both, smirking to himself. His plan for Adam was about to begin, he just needed the right moment to put it into motion.

* * *

It was Adam's fifteenth birthday and the final time that Adam would see John Winchester. The two had gone fishing at the pier and afterward had parked the car along the lake, where John tossed Adam his first beer.

"Drink up, kid," John told him. "You're old enough."

Adam stared down at the beer and slowly opened it, taking his first drink.

"You've been pretty quiet today," John said as he stood next to the boy. "Everything alright? I know I'm not exactly the person you want to tell your problems to-"

"There's something wrong with me," Adam whispered as he stared down at the ground. "I've always liked girls, I've dated a few, but I think- I might I might like boys, too. I've never told anyone, not even my mom. I've been keeping this a secret for two years, ever since sixth grade when I was at a sleepover with some guys. It just kind of started... hitting me that night that I might like both."

"Oh- oh wow," John said, not knowing what to say. "Are you sure?"

Adam just stared over at a guy talking with his friends outside of a diner. Pete Harvey, a senior at Adam's high school. He was cool, confident, and Adam knew he was out to at least a few people. The young man had shortly trimmed strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, and a smile that could melt any man or woman he looked at.

Pete Harvey wasn't the smartest boy, or even the most attractive person on the planet. But he was friendly towards everyone he met, volunteered to help the needy on weekends, and like Adam, he wanted to be a doctor after high school.

"Yeah," Adam said, his stomach feeling funny. While Adam still looked at girls (the waste basket in his bedroom was full of proof), it was Pete who was constantly stirring up feelings inside of him. "You're probably going to ask me if I've tried not liking guys."

"I'm not going to tell you how to live your life," John told him, seeing how Adam was staring at the young man. It was the exact same way John had looked at Mary Winchester when he first saw her. "You're a good kid, Adam. You're honest, smart, and you take good care of your mother. I'm proud of you, son. You can't control who you have feelings for. But you're not going to get anywhere just sitting here, drinking with your old man. Go get him."

"Wait, what?" Adam asked as he nearly choked on his beer.

"You heard me," John said. "You want that guy? Go tell him. Or maybe I should go over there and-"

"NO!" Adam said as he put the beer down. "I'll- I'll do it."

John smiled and tossed him some breath mints to cover up the beer. "I'll be right here."

As Adam nervously walked across the street, John's cell phone started ringing.

"Winchester," John said as he answered. As he turned his back, he didn't see Adam grabbing Pete around the shoulders and laying a kiss on him.

 _"John, it's Deacon. I have some info on that demon you've been hunting, but you've gotta get to Little Rock as soon as possible."_

"I'll be there in a few hours," John said as he hung up, just in time for Adam to come back with a smile on his face. "Things go well?"

"We're going out later tonight," Adam said as he hugged John. "Thanks... Dad."

A short while later, John dropped Adam off at home, sitting in the car as Adam got out.

"I meant what I said, Adam. I'm proud of you," John told him. "You take care of yourself and your mom. I'll see you again soon."

John drove off for the final time as Adam looked down at his cellphone where Pete's number had been entered. As the Impala drove into the sunset, Azazel was watching from afar.

"Oh, this will not do," Azazel said. "This will not do at all."

* * *

Adam and Pete's first date went about as well as one could expect. The food was awful, the service was poor, and Adam accidentally spilled soda all over Pete's lap. Then it started raining as soon as they left the restaurant. Adam was sure that Pete would never ask him out again, but as Pete got Adam to the front door, he leaned in and kissed Adam, wanting to know when they could go out again.

* * *

Pete had invited Adam over one warm afternoon two weeks later, eventually leading him out to the pool. Pete lifted his shirt over his head as he looked at Adam.

"Come on, let's go for a swim,"

"I- I can't," Adam said bashfully. "I don't even have a swimsuit."

"Borrow one of mine," Pete said as he saw a worried look on Adam's face. "You can't swim, can you?"

"It's not that," Adam told him nervously. "When I was seven, I was in a bad accident and had a lot of surgery. Most of the scars healed on their own, but- but there's one really bad one that I'm afraid to-"

"Take off your shirt, Adam, let me see it," Pete told him. "I won't make fun of you."

Adam closed his eyes and took a deep breath, lifting his shirt over his head, revealing the long and nasty scar running down his chest. The same scar that every boy in school had mocked him for, and many of the girls as well. Adam looked away as Pete gently touched the scar, running his hand along it.

"I think it's beautiful," Pete said. "You're so unique, Adam, and this just makes me like you even more."

"You're just saying that,"

Pete gently leaned in and kissed his lips.

"I'm being honest with you, Adam," Pete said. "There is nothing wrong with you. Now go get changed, it's too hot to stand here staring into those pretty eyes ."

Adam stared into his eyes, seeing that Pete was being honest with him. Adam smiled as he headed upstairs to change into a swimsuit. It was then that Adam knew he was finally in love.

* * *

Over the next few months, Adam and Pete began formally dating and had started to grow closer, learning everything about each other from their likes and dislikes to their family lives, meeting each other's mothers and having family dinners. The two realized each other's flaws right off the bat, such as Pete's annoying laugh during funny movies and Adam's tendency to chew his nails, and yet the two still wanted to be together. The two were soon inseparable and were already making plans to attend the same college. But Pete didn't fit into Azazel's plans...

* * *

It was the night of senior prom, and Pete had asked Adam to be his date for the night. It was going to be a romantic night for the both of them, as Pete was going to finally ask Adam if he was ready to make love, and if the answer was yes, then a hotel room was awaiting them. If not, Pete would tell Adam that he was worth the wait and spend the night dancing with his true love.

Pete was at home, getting ready for the dance. He'd just come out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist as he headed to the mirror to brush his teeth and comb his hair. As Pete wiped away the fog from the mirror, he saw something horrific standing behind him. A monster with glowing red eyes, pale skin, and fangs. Before Pete could let out a sound, a spray of blood splashed across the mirror...

* * *

Adam sat on the steps of the front porch, waiting for Pete to come pick him up. He had on a brand new suit that he'd scrimped and saved for, the suit he would ultimately be buried in when his brothers wanted to give him something nice to wear for his Hunter's funeral. Adam sat there for several hours, waiting for his boyfriend to come pick him up. Pete never showed up, and the next day Adam would receive word that Pete had mysteriously vanished without a trace, without having left so much as a note saying goodbye.

* * *

A heartbroken Adam would spend the next few months moping around, being miserable until the first day of his senior year. Which was when everything would change for him. As Adam was putting his books in his locker, he saw her walking up the hallway. She was tall, blonde, and bore an uncanny resemblance to a young Mary Campbell.

As Adam watched the girl approach, he felt something coming over him that he couldn't control. It was the same thing that he felt when he first laid eyes on Pete, but somehow different. Like some outside force was controlling him this time, compelling him to want to talk to her. The girl opened up the locker next to Adam.

"H- hi," Adam stammered nervously. "I've never seen you here before."

"Just transferred in," the girl said with a smile. "My name is Sarah."

"Adam," the boy blushed. "Do you need someone to show you around?"

"I'd like that," Sarah said as she closed her locker. "You're cute when you blush."

Adam just smiled as he stared down at the ground nervously.

"Oh, she's good," Azazel said, having possessed the body of the school janitor. "And they make such a cute couple."

A boy walking boy threw up all over the ground as the janitor just got a disgusted look on his face.

"Well, clean that up," the boy said, not realizing that within the hour he'd find himself dismembered and shoved into a locker.

* * *

It didn't take long for Adam and Sarah to begin dating, and by winter they had officially become a couple. Adam still missed Pete, but he had fallen hard for Sarah. He wanted to spend every second with her and did everything he could to make her happy. By Valentine's Day, Adam had worked up the courage to ask her to the upcoming senior prom.

"Yes," Sarah said as she kissed him. "I'll go with you."

Later that night, after Adam had gone home, Sarah was looking out her window when Azazel appeared right behind her.

"Senior prom," Azazel said. "It's going to be a big night for you."

"This is what you wanted, wasn't it?" Sarah asked. "The culmination of your big scheme?"

"No, the culmination of my big scheme comes after," the demon said. "Just stick with the plan. You're not... falling for this kid, are you?"

"What, of course not," Sarah said. "I don't fall in love."

"Then I should tell you that with John Winchester dead, I have no further use for Adam after the night of your little dance. Feel free to kill him or eat him, or whatever a Succubus does to your victims. It'll save me the trouble of having to do it myself."

* * *

Prom night came and was almost everything Adam had dreamed of. It was the most romantic night of his life so far, and he was spending it with the girl he thought he loved. The two spent the night dancing, making out and eventually going to a motel where Adam spent the entire night losing his virginity to Sarah.

It was several hours later as Adam lay on his half of the bed, all of his energy spent, as Sarah had gotten dressed and looked down at him. She had taken her true Succubus form, with pale skin and red eyes and sharp fangs. She could easily kill Adam right now. He was defenseless and she had gotten what she needed from him. Sarah leaned in closer but stopped herself.

"No, he has to die," Sarah told herself. She was supposed to be a soulless Succubus, so why was she hesitating? Was she really falling this human male? A male who had done nothing but be kind and generous to her, only wanting her love in return? Somewhere along the line, she was really starting to believe that it wasn't the enchantment making Adam do these things for her, but that he actually genuinely did love her.

The morning after, as the sun started to rise and shine through the motel window, Adam opened his eyes and saw the other half of the bed was empty. He slowly raised his head and looked around, seeing Sarah was nowhere to be found, the next time Adam hearing from her being in a 'Dear John' letter several weeks later.

* * *

Adam was sitting on his bedroom floor, the letter in his hand as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Kate watched from the bedroom door, seeing her son in pain and not knowing how to fix it. Adam looked up at her, the pained expression on his face telling her everything.

"Is there something wrong with me?"

"What? Baby, no," Kate said as she sat on the bed behind him, running a hand through his hair. "There's nothing wrong you. You're my perfect little man."

"1: You have to say that, you're my mom, and 2: I'm six-foot-two,"

Kate leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "You'll always be my baby. You're going to find that special someone. You've hit a few bumps in the road, but you'll find your soulmate someday."

"I thought Pete was my soulmate," Adam whispered.

"You'll find your special someone, baby, just don't give up," Kate told him as she stood up and headed for the door. It was breaking her heart to see her son like this. She didn't care that her son was bi-sexual, but she did care that he'd had his heart broken by both sides in just one year "He or she is out there somewhere."

* * *

"Your plan worked," Sarah said on that May morning a few weeks after prom. "I'm carrying Adam's child."

Azazel smiled as he felt her stomach. "Part Winchester, part Styne, part succubus, and..." Azazel handed her a vial of his own demon blood. "Part me. This will be one of baby's first meals when it arrives. All the ingredients needed to create the perfect gift for Lucifer at his big coming out party."

"The Anti-Christ," Sarah said as Azazel frowned.

"Oh, there's already one of those running around," the Yellow-Eyed Demon said. "And if I could find the little bastard, I'd slit his throat. But even still, that one is only half-demon. Our little bundle of joy is much, much more. The power this child will wield as it grows will be unmatched by any demon or angel. No one is to know about our little abomination until I'm ready to present it to Lucifer, is that understood?"

"Yes," Sarah told him as Azazel looked at his watch.

"Well, according to my watch, Sam Winchester is waking up in my little ghost town right about now," Azazel said. "I need to go check on my special children, but I'll be back soon. Be sure and keep our little package safe until I return."

Within the blink of an eye, Azazel was gone, and within days would be killed by the Winchesters, leaving Sarah alone with what would soon be a deadly combination of demon, succubus, and Styne with some Winchester DNA as well. Adam would never learn what he had fathered, and in 2009, Adam and his mother would be killed by ghouls.s.

* * *

 _2009_

Adam, dressed in a nice new suit, walked through the door and into his high school prom. The lights were dimmed and he saw everyone dancing and having a good time. That's when he saw his prom date standing by the punch bowl.

"Sorry I'm late," Adam said nervously. "You're not mad, are you?"

Pete reached over and took Adam's hand, having waited for his date for a very long time. "How can I stay mad at you? Come on, let's dance."

Adam gave him a gentle smile as they headed out onto the dance floor to have the prom night they never got to have back on Earth, two soulmates dancing for eternity. Or so they thought...

* * *

 _Current Day_

Sarah lay dead on the cabin floor, having been exorcised and stabbed with a blessed dagger. Her killers, the Hunters Roy and Walt, stood over her with their shotguns aimed, ready to fire on her if she even moved.

"Is she dead?" Walt asked.

"She hasn't moved in five minutes, I think she's done," Roy told her. "I didn't think we'd ever take her down. She sucked out the life force of enough men in this town to make her pretty much unstoppable."

"Yeah, well the bitch didn't figure on coming up against two of the best damn Hunters in the field," Walt smiled. "Let's make sure there aren't any other surprises waiting, then go grab a beer."

And that's when they heard the thumping of the padlocked cellar door that was on the floor near the window, a lift-up door covered in wardings to either keep something out... or to keep something in.

"You think there's more of those things down there?" Walt asked as the thumping continued as if something was trying to get free.

"Get the exorcism ready," Roy said as he pulled the blessed dagger out of its sheath. "We'll take it down the second it springs up."

With his other hand, Roy pulled out a pistol and shot the padlock. As soon as Roy shot the lock off, the door sprung up and... nothing. Walt shined a flashlight down into the cellar and found it was empty. Outside of warding symbols all over the walls, there was no evidence of anything having ever been down there.

"What the hell?" Roy asked with a laugh. "Let's get out of here."

The two men turned around and saw a nine-year-old boy standing at the door. He was wearing blue and white pajamas and holding a teddy bear in his arms. The boy had long, shaggy brown hair and pale skin from being confined in the cellar most of his life. Without Azazel to take the baby and no one knowing about him, Sarah knew that she either had to kill the child or keep its power contained, so she sealed it away until she could figure out what to do with it. Sarah had never even bothered to give the boy a name or dare to try to face the child knowing the kind of power it potentially had.

Without even saying a word, the two men dropped to their knees, never having seen such a sight. He was the most beautiful thing they had ever saw and just wanted to serve his every need. The boy looked at his dead mother on the floor and looked back up at the men.

"Shoot your friend in the head," the boy said, and without hesitation, Walt blew Roy's head clean off with his shotgun.

"Do you want me to shoot myself?" Walt asked.

The boy walked over to his mother's dresser and picked up a picture of Sarah and Adam at the prom. He gently touched Sarah's face as he tucked it into his waistband.

"No, I want you to stay there until you die," the boy said as he walked out of the cabin. Walt just stared at the two dead bodies on the ground.

"But what if I have to use the bathroom?"

As soon as the boy set foot out of the cabin, he was no longer wearing pajamas, but blue jeans, a blue and white t-shirt and blue sneakers. He was still carrying the teddy bear with him as he walked.

"Let's go find my daddy."

 **NEXT: Tessa and Billie have been Reapers to the Winchesters, but who's playing Reaper to our trio of heroes? WAYWARD SONS ANNUAL #1 coming soon!**


	16. Wayward Sons Annual 1

**Supernatural: Wayward Sons Annual #1**

 **"Don't Fear the Reaper"**

"Adam... buddy... pal o'mine. When you said we were going to be doing a real hunt, I thought maybe you meant vampires," Ben said through gritted teeth as he stood back to back with Adam.

"What are you talking about? These are vampires," Adam said with a nervous laugh.

A dozen clowns with bared vampire fangs had circled them in the basement where they had tracked down a nest.

"Vampire CLOWNS," Ben said angrily. "You left out the clown part!"

"I didn't think it mattered," Adam told him.

"Yeah, well, the urine in my pants says otherwise,"

"Come on, Alfie, where are you with the thing?" Adam asked as the duo tried to hold off the clowns. Alfie ran into the basement with a modified Nerf gun. He took aim and started spraying the clowns with dead man's blood. The clowns hissed and howled in pain as Alfie continued firing at them, giving Ben and Adam the chance to start beheading them with their machetes. "No more clowning around for these guys!"

"No more clown puns, please," Ben said as he saw a clown running towards him with a knife that was getting way too close.

"Hey, I finally get to kill some clowns, it's funny how long I've wanted to do this!" Adam said as he beheaded the next clown, then saw the last one holding a bloodied knife running towards him. Adam ducked and uppercut, sending the vampire clown's head flying. "That was good. If I smoked, I'd totally light one up right now just for the afterglow."

"Adam!" Alfie shouted from the top of the stairs. "Look!"

Adam saw Ben was slumped against the wall with a knife wound in his stomach, which was bleeding heavily.

"No, no, no, no!" Adam shouted as he rushed to his friend's side. "Come on, Ben, stay with me. Alfie, call 911!"

"We're out in the country, there's no reception," Alfie told him. "And the nearest hospital is a long drive away."

"Dammit," Adam said as he picked Ben up. "Alfie, Get the car! I'll be right behind you! Come on, Ben, hang tight, we'll get you fixed up. Just don't leave us, pal."

"Leave you? Where would I go, Detroit?" Ben joked as he stood up just in time to see Adam carrying his body up the stairs.

* * *

Ben managed to make it into the car just as it was pulling out onto the dirt road. He looked over at Adam in the backseat, who was cradling Ben's now soulless body in his arms and trying not to cry.

"Adam, I know I said no chick flick moments, but I guess it's kind of okay now," Ben said with a slight laugh. "Come on, Adam, say something, let me know you hear me."

"Oh, he can't hear you," a voice said from the front seat. A young teenager turned around to face him. He had neatly trimmed brown hair and was wearing a black suit. "No one can hear you."

"Who the hell are you?" Ben asked.

"Me? Oh, sorry, how rude of me," the boy said cheerfully. "My name is Cole. And I'm here to reap your soul!"

* * *

 _2009_

The reaper Tessa had just brought young Cole up to the gates of Heaven, where the boy was supposed to stay for the rest of eternity.

"This is Cole, he was supposed to be here some time ago," Tessa told the angel in charge. "Take good care of him, okay?"

The angel looked through his file book before looking back up at Tessa, making a seething sound. "There's a little problem."

"A little problem? I reaped this boy and brought him home, what's the problem? " Tessa asked. "Show him to his personal heaven."

"You're not his reaper," the angel told her. "All new arrivals must be checked in by the reaper who was assigned to them."

"Beurocratic BS," Tessa said. "His reaper was killed, I took up the case. There shouldn't be an issue."

"Sorry, Tessa, you know the rules. We have the system in place for a reason, we can't let the boy in without-"

"What's the problem here?" Zachariah asked as he walked out of his office. "Hey, is that the kid who helped the Winchesters?"

"Yes, sir," Cole told him. "But this bag of winged dicks-"

"Cole, I'll handle this," Tessa told him. "This bag of winged dicks won't let this boy into his personal Heaven."

"Oh, okay, I can fix this. Let me see that," Zachariah said as he looked at Cole's paperwork, then ripped it up. "Oh, that's a shame, looks like his personal Heaven's been canceled."

"What are you doing?" Tessa asked.

"The Winchesters have been a pain in my halo since day one," Zachariah told her. "And since I can't lay one almighty finger on them, I'm going for the next best thing. It feels good to let out some anger against those idiots."

"If he doesn't get into Heaven, then-"

"I hear the Veil is nice this time of year," Zachariah told her as he smiled at Cole. "Have a nice eternity, kid."

Cole started fighting back the tears as Tessa held his hand. "No, none of that, Cole. I'll get you into Heaven, you'll see. It'll probably just take some time."

"Then what do I do in the meantime? I can't go home, my mother can't handle it if I came back and had to leave again."

"You'll stay with me," Tessa told him as she got an idea. "We'll be Reaping buddies. Would you like that?"

* * *

So for the next eight months, Tessa took Cole under her wing and taught him the ropes of being a reaper, helping them guide souls into the afterlife. And as it turned out, the boy had a real knack for it. He even started smiling and seemed to quite enjoy the job, and was soon outperforming all of the actual reapers. Cole actually started enjoying the work and for the first time since he died, was actually happy. He had a real knack for making people feel better about going to their greater reward.

"That kid's going to put us all out of work," a reaper told Tessa one day. "I haven't seen someone reap this many souls since Death himself."

"Did someone mention my name?" Death said, who was suddenly standing behind them with a bag of gourmet fried pickles in his hand. The two reapers just stood there in shock as Death quietly munched a pickle from the bag. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Now, what is this talk of a boy reaping souls?"

Cole wasn't too far away, having just guided an elderly woman into the afterlife, where she would await Tess to formally admit her to her own personal Heaven. Cole loved seeing the look on Zachariah's face as he went back and forth, knowing he couldn't do anything now that Cole was under the reaper's watch. As Cole returned, he found Death's towering form standing over him. The boy just gulped as he looked up at Death himself.

"Cole Griffith, you were supposed to spend your eternity playing with a puppy on your tenth birthday. Why are you here?"

"Sparky? He was hit by a car a few days later, tell me that's not part of the package," Cole said as he eyed the man named Death, trying to be brave.

"His reaper was murdered and they wouldn't let him in, then Zachariah got involved," Tessa said as she got between them. "I couldn't just ditch him in the Veil and-"

Death held up his hand to stop her from talking.

"I will deal with Zachariah soon enough. But this situation must be clarified immediately, and order restored," Death told her. "We have lost a reaper, and this boy does twice the work. So-" Death snapped his fingers and Cole found himself wearing a black suit. "We will make him an official reaper."

"But his personal Heaven-" Tessa said.

"Will be waiting for him at the end of eternity when there is nothing left to reap," Death told her. Death turned toward Cole before biting down on another pickle. "Do your job well, boy. You are one of us now."

Before anyone could say anything, Death had disappeared. Cole just stared up at Tessa.

"What the hell just happened?"

* * *

 _Now_

"How the hell are you a reaper?" Ben asked. "You're younger than I am! Have you even gone through puberty?"

"Yeah, dying kind of put the brakes on that," Cole said sadly. "Voice changed, but still bald as a baby down there."

"Didn't need that image, kid," Ben said. "And by the way, I'm totally not dead."

"Your weakening pulse says otherwise," Cole told him. "I give you about... twenty minutes, tops before you flatline. Might as well get an early start and go now. Say your goodbyes and let's roll, they're giving me a shot at Keith Richards, no reaper's ever caught him, I've seen 'em try. It's like a Roadrunner cartoon."

"You want a piece of me?" Ben asked as he pulled out a gun, but it wouldn't fire.

"Really, Ben? You're not even in your body, so that's like the ghost of a gun," Cole said as the car pulled into the hospital parking lot. "You're dead, dude. Now just come on and-" Cole watched as Ben jumped out of the car as soon as soon as Adam kicked open the door. Cole just sighed to himself. "Fine, I guess we're doing this."

* * *

Adam and Alfie were sitting in the waiting room after Ben had gone into surgery.

"Ben will survive, he is strong," Alfie said while reading a 'Highlights for Children'. "I do not understand why this Goofus is allowed to continue this path of destructive behavior. If this Gallant were to truly live up to his name, he would slay the heathen and be done with it."

"This isn't right," Adam said in barely a whisper. "I chose this hunt. Ben's dying because of me."

"Adam, none of this is your doing," Alfie told him as he put the magazine down. "Ben made the decision to go on this hunt with us. We did this as a team."

"I have to make this right," Adam said as he stood up. "Stay with Ben, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Adam, where are you going?" Alfie asked.

"To hopefully save Ben," Adam said as he left the hospital.

* * *

"For God's sake, Braeden," Cole said as Ben ran down the hospital corridor. Every door that Ben passed, Cole was standing there, watching him. "I'm a freakin' reaper. You can't outrun me! Think I haven't seen this before? It always ends the same way, with me taking them to Heaven... or Hell. The point is, when it's your time, you gotta go."

Ben reached the end of the corridor and found Cole standing right in front of him. Ben backed up and looked for another way out.

"Come on, Ben, how do you expect to beat death?" Cole asked with a laugh as Ben stared at the ground beforekneeing Cole as hard as he could in the groin. The reaper fell to the ground in pain as Ben ran off again. "How am I feeling this!?"

* * *

"Personal picture, yarrow, graveyard dirt, a black cat bone... not gonna ask why Ben keeps these things in the trunk, but I'm glad he does," Adam said, hoping that what Ben told him about a crossroads demon was true. He buried the container and waited for something to happen. After a few minutes, Adam began pacing back and forth at the crossroads, and when he turned back around, he came face to face with a young woman. She was in her late twenties and had long black hair.

"Adam Milligan, the Winchester's long forgotten bastard brother," the demon smiled. "I have to say, you're a lot more handsome than I expected. And a lot more alive, too. Shouldn't you be in the Cage?"

"Long story. I came to make a deal."

"No dice, I don't deal with the Winchesters, that includes their best left forgotten siblings," the demon said.

"Please," Adam pleaded. "My best friend is dying, and I'll do anything to save him."

"Anything?" the demon asked, now interested. "It is tempting, but you Winchester men have a nasty habit of not staying dead, so something extra special will have to be arranged for you. And, once again, being a Winchester, I have to offer you a little less for your pathetic soul."

"How much less?"

"For you?" the demon asked. "Six months, and you have to kill your brothers-"

"Done!"

"Wait, what? Did you hear the offer? You have to kill Sam and Dean Winchester."

"And I said I'd do it," Adam replied with a straight face. "I'll kill 'em, just save Ben."

"Um... okay," the demon said. "Not much of a barterer, are you?"

"Ben's one of the only two people I care about, certainly a hell of a lot more than I care about myself. I've survived Hell before, I can do another stint."

"Oh, this is going to be more than a small sentence, honey," the demon said as she got closer. "This is going to be for the rest of eternity, upper management will see to that. Okay, let's seal the contract with a kiss. Let's see if you're like the Winchesters in that area."

Adam pulled her close and gave her a deep, passionate kiss, the same one he gave to his first loe when they started dating. The demon pulled away, out of breath.

"W- wow," she said as she had to fan herself. "And I thought Hell was hot."

"So Ben is going to live?" Adam asked.

"Go see for yourself,"

* * *

Ben saw Alfie sitting in the waiting room and ran towards him, but was clotheslined by Cole as he ran forward. The young Hunter landed on his back as the reaper stood over him, shaking his head.

"It's over," Cole said. "Look, Ben, I know you're scared. So was I, but you need to man up about this. No more pain, no more nightmares, no more of those visions-"

"How do you know about that?" Ben asked as Cole helped him up.

"A reaper knows," Cole said as he looked at Ben. "Those flashes you have? There's a locked box inside your head, just chock full of memories that were taken from you. If you come with me, I'll get that box unlocked for you and you can see everything from those two years that were taken from you."

"And what about my friends?" Ben asked.

"I don't know how they'll die, yet, but-" Cole said as the lights started dimming and a loud buzzing was heard. Ben held his hands to his head in pain. "What? Are you kidding!? He did what?"

"Cole, what's going on?" Ben asked as the lights came back on and the buzzing stopped.

"You got a second chance, kid," Cole said. "Don't waste it. And the next time we meet, your ass is mine. None of this coming back from the grave BS that your dad is constantly pulling."

"But what about- Wait, did you just say my dad?" Ben started to say as Cole touched his forehead.

"See you around, Ben,"

* * *

Ben sat up in his bed, gasping for air as he looked around. Soon, Adam and Alfie ran in and found Ben laying there, still trying to figure out what happened.

"Ben, grab your stuff, we gotta go," Adam said as he tossed Ben his pants. "We don't have insurance, and there's going to be... questions."

"Adam, I just survived having my stomach stabbed," Ben said as he started pulling on his pants as he put two and two together. He looked down at his stomach not seeing any wounds whatsoever."And you're obviously not shocked that I'm better. You son of a bitch!"

"What is it?" Alfie asked.

"He made a deal!"

"We'll talk about it later,"

"No, let's talk about it, loudly! Just tell us how long,"

"Ben-"

"How long, Adam!?"

"Six months,"

"Well, that's just great!" Ben shouted as he stood up and walked up to Adam, staring him in the face. "Go back and take back the deal. I'm not letting you die for me."

"Yeah, you are," Adam said. "Because you and Alfie are my family, and I would die for either of you. I'm doing this, Ben."

"You bastard," Ben said as he pulled Adam into a hug and started crying. "I hate you. We'll find a way to save you."

"No, you're not," Adam told him as he hugged Ben back. "I've been past saving for a long time. You and Alfie will be just fine without me."

"The doctors are coming," Alfie said as he looked out the door. "They will be coming for the insurance we do not have."

"Out the window," Adam said as the trio started climbing out. Before the doctors could figure out what was going on, the boys were already in the Impala and headed home.

"Nurse, where's the patient?" the doctor asked as he looked at his chart. "Where's... Ozzy Rose?"

* * *

Ben was lying in bed at home as Adam and Alfie sat next to him. It was later that night as the trio had returned to their new home that Adam's mother had left to him.

"Lost memories?" Alfie asked after Ben had explained what happened with Cole. "That sounds like something an angel or a demon could do."

"But you and Joshua are the only angels I've ever had contact with," Ben told him. "And I've killed every demon I've ran across. Who would take my memories?"

"We'll figure it out," Adam said. "Maybe we can go find Joshua and-"

"I can do it, if I can get my grace back," Alfie said as he stared between the two of them. "There is a way, I've just been weighing the pros and cons of it."

"We can restore your grace? Then what the hell are we waiting for?" Adam asked. "And why the hell did you wait until now?"

"It's dangerous, there's a chance we could all die," Alfie told him. "I did not wish to put you in harm's way so I could be an angel again."

"Yeah, well I'm going in six months anyway, and if there's any chance at all of you being an angel again, we're doing this,"

"Adam's right. We're getting your grace back, if that's what you want."

"I would like to be able to help my friends more," Alfie said. "And maybe if I have my grace, I'll be able to save Adam from-"

"No," Adam told him. "No one is going to save me, Alfie. You get your grace back, and you help Ben get whatever memories are locked away. Then you two keep going, got it? Save the world, you two crazy sons of bitches. And take care of my Hellhound."

* * *

The demon holding Adam's contract met up with her boss elsewhere.

"In six months, you get one of the Winchesters," the demon said. "Trapped in Hell for all eternity."

"Oh, honey," the woman with the black eyes said as she stepped forward. "In six months I'll have all three of the Winchesters, but they're not going to Hell. You see, I have something much, much bigger in store. And it all starts by having a Winchester family reunion."

* * *

 _We find Sam and Dean Winchester at the mercy of a demon possessed man holding a group of people hostage!_

"Nothing can stop me from killing these people and gaining unlimited demonic power!"

"No?" Dean asked, reaching into his jacket. "Not even a Hostess Fruit Pie?"

"Hostess Fruit Pie!" the demon shouted, grabbing. "Flaky crust, real fruit filling-"

A demon knife in the gut instantly killed the demon as he fell forward to the ground. Dean picked up the blood-covered package. "You really think I'd give away pie? Dumbass."

Sam watched Dean open the package and start eating. "DUDE!"

"What?" Dean asked. "There's no blood on the actual pie."

 _ **HOSTESS!**_

* * *

 **"Friendship is Tragic"**

The woman screamed as she struggled with the ropes that bound her to the chair, while four robed men hovered around her, shiny blades in hand. Their faces were shrouded by the brown robes as they watched the hourglass on the wall, which was getting closer to filling up.

"The ritual is almost ready," the leader said. "We shall spill the virgin's blood and the world will be saved."

"Yes," the second robed man said. "Just think, my dear, your blood will save the entire planet."

"Please, I have a boyfriend and a baby," the woman said, pleading.

"They will be well provided for," the leader said as the others started chanting. "For when you die, the world will be bathed in the magic of friendsh-"

A punch came from seemingly out of nowhere, striking the man down. As he hit the floor, his hood fell down as the man sat up, revealing rainbow-colored hair.

"They attack the Cult of the Cutie Mark!" the leader shouted. "Spill their blood in the name of friendship!"

18-year-old Asher smirked as two of the robed men ran toward him. The young college student started fighting both off at once, not noticing the third one coming up behind him with a knife. Something tapped him on the shoulder as 21-year-old Mason punched the man, sending him flying over a table.

"The ritual must be fulfilled!" the leader shouted as Asher and Mason punched the man out at the same time. "Grogar the Goat God will not stand for this!"

"Oh, what's he gonna do?" Asher asked with a laugh as the last grain of sand fell from the hourglass. The room started to shake as Mason untied the girl.

"Run! Asher, get her out of here!" Mason shouted as two of the men tackled him.

"I'm not leaving you!" Asher shouted as he kicked one of the men in the face as he tried to get up He pushed the girl toward the door. "Go! Find someplace safe!"

Asher rushed back and started pulling the men from Mason as the room started shaking more violently.

"This might be the end," Mason said as he took Asher's hand. "I was going to wait until this weekend, but-" Mason dropped to one knee. "I can't die without knowing the answer to this. Asher, will you marry me?"

"What? I mean-"

"I love you, Asher," Mason said. "I've loved you ever since the day my family took you and your brother in. We grew up as Hunters. We've killed monsters together. We've saved lives together. I want to keep doing that, Asher. And I want to do with you as my husband. So, will you?"

"YES!" Asher shouted as he pulled Mason into a kiss. "If we, you know, live through this."

Mason pulled him into a deeply passionate kiss, just as the four robed men exploded in a shower of blood, bones, and rainbow-colored sparkles.

"Greatest proposal ever," Asher whispered against Mason's lips.

"Seriously, though, I think we just pissed off a Goat demon, we'd better go," Mason told him

* * *

 **"The Vampire Diaries of a Wimpy Kid"**

It was after midnight on the farm where the small band of Hunters had made their home. While Alisha and Chad were asleep in the main house, teenage Connor slept in the barn. His ankle was still chained to the wall, but his straight jacket had been removed. The Hunters had decided he deserved a little more freedom, even though they still kept his ankle restrained.

As Connor slept in a makeshift bed, a pair of black-clad characters were sneaking past the security measures that were set up to keep all sorts of monsters at bay. The two intruders were fast and stealthy as they snuck into the barn, knowing exactly what they were after, even dusting their clothes with the ashes of burnt skunk's cabbage, saffron, and trillium to hide their scent.

Sandy nodded as he looked at the other black-clad person as he edged toward the bed, which was when they heard the sound of a rifle being cocked at the doorway.

"Back away, slowly," Alisha said as she stood next to Chad.

Sandy and Luke looked at each other and with a blinding flash, quickly knocked the two Hunters out, leaving them unconscious on the barn floor. Luke pulled out a large knife and prepared to slit Chad's throat when Luke stopped him.

"No, brother," Luke told him. "We can't kill defenseless people. It's one thing if were the heat of battle, but I won't kill them like this. Let's just get the package and go."

The two turned around and saw Connor standing up, his eyes glowing in the darkness. The young vampire saw his friends on the ground and hissed angrily at the attackers.

"Calm yourself, friend," Luke said. "We have come to free you. Our master has sent us with a generous offer. We can take you a place where you can be yourself. Where you can have real blood, and can enjoy your new life."

"I'll pass," Connor told them. "I like it here."

"You enjoy drinking the blood of filthy animals?" Sandy asked, his face still covered by the black mask. "You enjoy being confined to this old barn? You're being treated as a pet!"

"I'm learning to control what I am," Connor said. "They say that someday soon I might be trusted enough to become a real Hunter. So I can kill monsters like the ones who turned me into this beast."

"Are you not proud of what you are?" Sandy asked. "To be a vampire is an honor! You will be a noble creature who lives forever among these... insects!"

"Keep on thinking that, but I'm staying right here where I belong," Connor said as Sandy pulled out a needle filled with dead man's blood.

"Okay, we do this the hard way," Sandy said as Luke stopped him.

"No," Luke said. "We were only to use that if it came down to a fight. Our master said he is only to come of his own free will. We weren't to force him if he said no."

"That's bull, and you know it, the Master will be proud of us for-"

"Oh, like the last mission where you killed that kid?"

"He was a liability,"

"He was an innocent. You're jeopardizing our ultimate goal, brother. We shall leave him to stay here if that's what he wants. If the Master wants us to return to take him by force, we shall, but not until then."

Luke looked at Connor. "We'll leave you now. You've probably been having visions of our Master. He offers you a place in his kingdom, I suggest you think about joining us before we return someday."

Luke tossed a smoke pellet to the ground as the two brothers disappeared into the night. Connor rushed over to Alisha and Chad to make sure they were alright, wondering who this Master was and why he was so interested in Connor.

* * *

 **"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?** "

 _The Cage_

First Sam was rescued; then Adam managed to escape, and now Lucifer is out and free to roam the Earth again, leaving Michael trapped alone in the Cage. Alone with nothing but his own thoughts, and the blood stained shirt that Samandriel had left behind. As Michael sat alone, trying not to go even more insane, he blamed Adam less for this. After all, Adam was just a pawn as well, having been played by his own brothers and left to rot in Hell, just like Michael had been.

God was still on Earth and could have easily released Michael at any time. Any of his brothers or sisters could have staged a rescue; even the Winchesters could have made the attempt to free him while coming for their brother. Even Death had ignored his cries for help.

No one up above seemed to care that the mighty Archangel Michael had been trapped alone in the Cage for the rest of eternity. But still, the only ones he truly blamed were Sam and Dean Winchester. If they'd just played their roles, things would have gone much differently. Lucifer would have been defeated and humanity saved, despite the many casualties. The Winchester brothers had to pay for what they cost him.

Michael knew he had the key to escaping in his hands. Samandriel's virgin blood could open the door, but it was dry at this point, and the Archangel wasn't sure if it would work on the door leading out. He had to try, though.

Michael's large angelic form stood at the wall blocking off the Cage from the rest of Hell, staring down at the Wiener Hut shirt. He pressed the shirt against the wall, not expecting anything to happen, but then a small hole started opening. It was barely enough to squeeze through, but it would have to do. It hurt like hell, but Michael had eventually forced his way through, ending up on the other side of the wall just as the hole closed.

From there, it wouldn't take long to fly himself out of Hell, but then the problem remained of needing a vessel once he got to Earth. Plus word would surely spread quickly about his escape. He needed to cloak himself and cover his tracks, then find a vessel that wouldn't burn out on him, and for that, he'd need a vessel that was strong and able to contain his power.

"I need time to plan," Michael said to himself. "But soon, Heaven, Hell, and Earth will kneel before me. I'm coming for you, Sam and Dean Winchester."

Michael's large black angelic wings spread out, extending a good ten feet as he started flying upward.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	17. Valentine's Day Special

**The Wayward Sons Valentine's Day Special**

 _Indianapolis, Indiana_

 _February 7th_

Two college freshmen were sitting on a bench in the park, each reading a textbook to prepare for their upcoming tests. Rick tried to find the courage to talk to Sally, his longtime crush, but he could barely find the words. Meanwhile, across the way, a woman was watching them while sighing and shaking her head.

"Really, Ricky?" the woman asked as she reached into her bag and pulled out a mini-crossbow that had been equipped with a red arrow that a little heart on the end. "Okay, kids, this won't hurt one bit."

Before she could fire, a knife plunged through the back of her throat, the woman's eyes glowing white as she died before falling to the ground. Her attacker left the cupid hidden in the bushes, the ashy outlines of her wings singed into the grass.

* * *

 _February 14th_

 _Windom, Minnesota_

"Yeah, I'd love to see you tonight," Adam Milligan said as he leaned against the kitchen counter in his pajamas and bathrobe, a cup of coffee in hand. "I... haven't told my friends about us yet. No, it's not that, it's just- I don't know how they'll react. Okay, I'll talk to you soon."

Adam hung up and sighed, hating having to keep a secret from his friends. It was just after 6 a.m. and the sky was still dark outside. Alfie walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he headed to the refrigerator to pour a glass of orange juice. He was soon followed by Ben, who wasn't a morning person judging from his messy hair and bags under his eyes.

"Good morning, Adam," Alfie said as Adam stared him up and down.

"Uh... Alfie? I can't help but notice your t-shirt,"

"I got it from the Hot Topical,"

"Yeah, I know. I see you got the little cat wrapped in a burrito, it's cute, really. But uh... why aren't you wearing any other clothes?"

From the waist down, Alfie was stark naked.

"I don't feel comfortable sleeping shirtless,"

Adam raised a finger and was about to speak, but then decided it was best not to. "I'm going to get the paper. When I get back, you'd better at least be wearing slippers on this cold floor."

Adam carried his cup of coffee out to the living room, where he found himself greeted by the sight of an older naked man, wearing only a quiver over his back filled with arrows. Adam just calmly stood there as he sipped his coffee, followed by an awkward silence.

"Noooope, this isn't gonna work. I think I need stronger coffee,"

"Here, try some of mine," Ben said as he handed Adam his own coffee mug.

"Ben, this isn't coffee, it's vodka."

"Apples & oranges, Adam."

"Cupid?" Alfie asked as he walked into the living room. "Is that you?"

"Samandriel!" the man shouted as he pulled Alfie into a hug. "I had hoped the rumors of you being alive were true!" After a few seconds, he dropped Alfie and pulled Ben and Adam into a hug as well.

"Adam, I'm scared," Ben whispered.

"Me, too, Ben, me too,"

"Cupid is one of my cherub brothers," Alfie said as Ben and Adam backed away slowly.

"I thought you were an angel?" Ben asked.

"I was created to be a cherub," Alfie explained. "But God found me too adorable and-"

"Made you his pet," Cupid said.

"Personal assistant," Alfie reminded him. "It was a promotion."

"Who had a place to sleep at the foot of God's bed?"

"I was small, I could easily fit in that basket."

"HEY!" Adam shouted to get their attention. "Alfie, why is there a naked man standing in my living room?"

"Because I don't like sleeping shirtle-"

"NOT... you," Adam sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "The other naked man?"

"Cupid, why are you here?" Alfie asked.

"Someone is murdering the cherubs," Cupid explained. "And Heaven won't investigate."

"Cherubs are very low on the rung in Heaven," Alfie told Adam and Ben. "The higher-ups don't exactly see them as equals."

"Which is why when I heard you had been spotted back on Earth, I knew I could come to you," Cupid told him. "I would have gone to Castiel, but he's not exactly at the top of his game these days. Will you help me?"

"Of course," Alfie said as he looked at Adam and Ben.

"Hey, if someone's murdering cute little cherubs, I'm in," Adam said.

"Me too," Ben added. "What kind of monster kills innocent baby cherubs?" Ben then looked over at the naked man-sized Cupid in the living room. "You're gonna need to put on some pants if we're doing this."

* * *

Two hours later, Ben and Adam were sitting in the front seat of the cherry red Impala, with Alfie and Cupid sitting in the back seat as they were having a stake-out to find the cherub killer.

"So, tell me something," Adam said as he looked through the binoculars. "Are the cherubs responsible for all love on Earth?"

"No, not all love, but we are responsible for all the important couples that are destined to be together," Cupid told them. "Making sure certain bloodlines happen, making sure certain people are born who are destined to change the world for better or worse, or the right people have love in their lives to push them to do what they were meant to do. I'd say about 90% of all romance is made by us."

"And the other 10%?"

"The other 10% are usually those who were never meant to exist in the first place, but we try to fit them into future plans like we did with you,"

Adam spit out his soda onto the dashboard. "Excuse me!?"

"Yeah, sorry, you kind of... weren't meant to be," Cupid shrugged. "John Winchester was only supposed to have two sons. But we made it work."

"Made it work? MADE IT WORK!?" Adam asked as he pulled out his gun. "You son a-"

"Adam!" Ben said, grabbing Adam's arm. "Calm down!"

"This fat bastard just said I'm not supposed to exist! How the hell do you calm down from that?"

"I'll put on your playlist," Alfie said as he took Adam's phone. "That always soothes you."

"Please, no," Ben said quietly. "Not-"

 _"Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down-"_

"Look!" Cupid said as he pointed across the street towards a pair of second graders. "That's them!"

"That's who's supposed to fall in love?" Ben asked. "Kind of young, aren't they?"

"The seeds are supposed to be planted for them to have their first kiss four years from now," Cupid said. "The boy is going to grow up to cure her cancer, which is turn is going to help her follow her dream of becoming president. She's going to a very powerful player in fifty years., but only if they're struck by love's arrow now."

"We're not through talking about this," Adam told Cupid as he got out of the car, following the two children to the playground. "Alright, where's this cherub?"

"She'll have a good vantage point to strike them with her arrow," Cupid said as he looked around. "Up there, on the jungle gym!"

"I don't see her," Ben said as he looked up.

"Of course not, she's invisible," Cupid said as he walked on. "You think she's going to shoot two kids with an arrow in full view of a dozen people? I mean, I'm only making myself visible to you three, too."

"Yeah, Ben, wasn't that obvious?" Adam asked as he rolled his eyes.

As the others headed toward the jungle gym, Alfie just stood back and looked around. He held his angel blade under his jacket as he headed off in a different direction.

A cherub in the form of an elderly black grandmother sat on top of the jungle gym, holding a plasma cannon on her shoulder.

"Sister!" Cupid shouted. "You're in danger!"

"I'm used to the recoil from this thing, Cupid," the cherub said as she aimed. "Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm-"

Ben looked around and saw an arrow flying towards the jungle gym. He pushed the cherub down, taking the arrow right in his buttocks.

"Oh, God, it hurts!" Ben shouted. "Pull it out, pull it out!"

Adam grabbed the arrow and yanked it out, causing Ben to scream in pain. "This was supposed to kill the cherub?"

"It's made from the same metal as an angel blade," Cupid said as he looked at the arrow tip. "She would have died instantly."

"Hey, anyone seen Alfie?" Adam asked.

"Adam, look!" Ben pointed as he seethed in pain, seeing Alfie in the back of a van as the doors closed.

"I told him to stay away from vans offering free ice cream," Adam said as he started climbing down. "Ben, come on!"

"Excuse me for being a little slow, I just took an arrow up the ass!"

"Cupid, follow him!" Adam shouted.

"I would, but," Cupid said as he focused. "The van is warded against angels."

"Dammit," Adam said as he got Ben down, just as thetwo second graders were watching them. "Don't you have diseases to cure, kid?"

* * *

The Impala raced down the street, finally seeing the van not too far ahead, having parked outside of an old building.

"How's the um...-"

"My ass hurts, Adam," Ben said cheerfully as he sat on an ice pack. "But I'll survive. Let's go get our buddy and end this."

"It's clear we're not dealing with something human," Adam told Ben as they got out of the car. "And Alfie's got the blade."

"Well, then," Ben said as he opened the trunk and pulled out a baseball bat with warding symbols on it. "Let's pull out a different toy."

"What the hell is that?" Adam asked. "That thing'll break the second you try to clock a demon upside the head with that."

"Been saving this bad boy for something like this," Ben told him. "A fellow Hunter helped me make it a few years ago when we were training together for a few months. Come on, let's go get brutal on this sombitch."

Adam held his gun tight as the two made their way into the warehouse, which was dimly lit as they made their way through the corridor. A glistening light from one of the rooms drew them toward it, where they found Alfie unconscious in a ring of holy fire.

"Alfie?" Adam whispered. "Alfie, wake up."

"Why are you whispering?" a voice in the darkness asked as Adam found himself clubbed in the back of the head, knocking him out. Before Ben could react, a punch sent him flying across the room, knocking him out as well. "I saw you come in."

* * *

Adam and Ben woke up, handcuffed to pipes that were hanging over their heads. Alfie was still knocked out as they saw the man who had knocked them out step out of the shadows. He was an older man, dressed in a nice suit. Adam noticed that he only had nine fingers.

"Not the Winchesters that I was hoping for, but you'll do," the Horseman known as War said, smirking at them.

"Who the hell are you?" Adam asked.

"Oh, forgive me," the man said. "You can call me War."

"As in the Horseman? As in 'What is it good for?' War?" Ben asked.

"The one and the same," War said as he grabbed Adam's face in his hand. "Ugh, I can't stand you pretty boy Winchesters."

"Why are you killing cherubs?" Ben asked.

"Because I'm freakin' War," War told him. "But that's beside the point. I knew that a boatload of dead cherubs wouldn't make Heaven's radar, but this kind of thing is right up Sam and Dean's alley, yet somehow I ended up with the three of you. But I'm willing to try to make the best of a bad situation here, and three hostages that are close to those idiots are better than nothing."

"Why are you even able to speak?" Alfie asked as he started standing up. "You lost your ring, you should be broken."

"Oh, I was for a while," War said with a sigh. "But me and my brothers Famine and Pestilence eventually started coming around when we realized just how much we hated Sam and Dean Winchester, so we've made it our goal to make their lives a living hell, starting by forcing them to tell me where our rings are hidden."

"They cut off your finger," Adam laughed. "They took your precious little ring."

"The source of his powers," Alfie told them. "Without it, he's about as powerful as the smallest cherub."

"Even the smallest cherub packs a pretty big walllop," War said as he backhanded Ben, causing him to spit out blood. "I'll just ransom the three of you for the rings."

"Good luck, my brothers left me in Hell, do you think they'd give a damn that I'm being held hostage?" Adam asked.

Cupid showed up in the back of the room, with a board in his hand. He carefully put it down on the flames of the holy fire so Alfie could get out while War's back had been turned.

"Okay, how do you even know that the Winchesters know Adam?" Ben asked.

"Because everyone worth a damn in Heaven and Hell knows who the Winchesters are, and especially who they're connected to," War told him. "Every ally, relative, lover, nothing is secret from the likes of us. And you? You're one of the biggest fish to catch, kid."

"I've never even met the Winchesters," Ben said.

Before War could speak again, Ben's baseball bat struck him in the back.

"OW!" War shouted as he started to stand up. "Little Samandriel, who's even more powerless than your standard cherub. I can rip you limb from limb, boy."

"You are welcome to try," Alfie said. "I may be human, but I'm far from-"

War backhanded Alfie, sending him flying through the air. He landed hard on the ground as War picked up the ball bat and walked toward him, while Ben used the distraction to start picking the locks on the cuffs.

"You know, even after this, I may still continue killing cherubs," War said as he looked over at Cupid, who was standing timidly in the corner. "Truly the lowest, most cowardly form of angel. No fight in them what so ever."

War raised the ball bat, but before he could bring it down on Alfie, the angel blade stabbed him through the back. A white light shined out of every hole in his body as War fell to the ground, dead. Cupid stood over War, shaking as he looked at the blood on his hands.

"You saved me," Alfie said as Adam and Ben ran over. "Thank you, brother."

"Cherubs aren't supposed to take lives," Cupid whispered. "What have I done?"

Before anyone could say anything, Cupid disappeared into thin air.

* * *

Ben was laying on his stomach on the couch while Alfie patched him up. "There, your buttocks is sufficiently bandaged."

"Thanks, Alfie," Ben said. "At least someone doesn't mind doing the job."

"Dude, you're like, my brother," Adam told him as he came out of the kitchen. "Your ass is not something I want etched into my memory, and I spent 1,000 years seeing the worst horrors of Hell."

"Have you heard from Cupid?" Ben asked as he sat up.

"No, and I fear that this may have broken him, just as War losing his ring broke him for years," Alfie said. "This is why I wish to regain my grace so that I can check up on my brothers and sisters and find out if they are okay."

"And maybe, you know, fixing your friends when they take an arrow up their back alley?" Ben asked.

"I am okay, Samandriel," Cupid said as he appeared in front of them. "I didn't properly thank you for helping me stop War."

"Well, now we have a whole new set of problems," Adam said as he looked between them. "Pestilence and Famine are looking for those rings, too. They may have no powers, but they can still cause damage."

"We'll deal with them as they come, we know they can be killed with the angel blade," Ben said. "In the meantime, maybe we should start looking for those rings, too."

"Good idea," Adam said as he looked at Cupid. "What about you?"

"I hate having to have taken a life, but I shall continue spreading love," Cupid said. "About what I said earlier, your existence-"

Adam just sighed. "Kind of sucks to hear that you were never supposed to be born."

"But you were, and you will do great things with your friends," Cupid said.

"I guess since I was never planned for, I'll never make your list of people to hook up,"

"Actually," Cupid said as he leaned and whispered in Adam's ear. "You already were, you just didn't know it."

Cupid disappeared into thin air once again, leaving Adam standing there.

"What'd he say?" Ben asked.

"It's not important," Adam told them as he looked at the time. "I'm going out."

"This late?" Ben asked.

"I just... need time to think," Adam said as he headed out the door. "I'll be back later."

"So, Alfie, it's Valentine's Day and neither of us have dates," Ben told him. "Want to binge on Netflix and pizza?"

"I would love to binge on the Netflix and the pizza," Alfie smiled. "Do you think that Adam will be okay?"

"Yeah, he'll be fine," Ben said. "He's probably just going to let off of steam somewhere, he'll be back before you know it."

* * *

Hours later in a motel room Downtown, Adam was laying in a bed with his arms wrapped around Matt Pike as the two slept peacefully into the morning...


	18. I Lost On Jeopardy

**Supernatural: Wayward Sons #13**

 **"I Lost on Jeopardy"**

"Jeez, Adam, your phone's been blowing up all night," Ben said as the trio walked home late one night. "Is it a case?"

"Uh... no, just a friend," Adam said as he stared down at his phone. It was his friend Matt. The two had been keeping in close contact since Adam had rescued Matt from a ghoul. Matt was traveling cross country before he settled down for a career that was waiting for him, and the two had decided to meet up at certain points along the way. Of course, Adam had yet to tell Ben and Alfie who his new friend was, or that they had begun a romantic relationship. And he also had yet to tell Matt that he only had five months to live.

"A friend, huh?" Ben asked. "Anyone we know?"

"Where did you learn to hustle pool like that? I haven't seen anyone do that since my old man taught me when I was 12," Adam asked, changing the subject as he watched Ben counting the money he'd just earned for the group.

Adam, Alfie, and Ben were headed back toward the house they shared together after dinner at the local bar. It had been a long day, tracking leads to find not only the Winchesters, but Patrick Wheat's missing twin sons, as well as Ben's mother. Ben still had not revealed any of his past to them, only that his mother was out there and he needed to find her. In fact, all three of them were keeping secrets from each other.

"It's a talent," Ben said. "We should have enough to last us for a while now. Are we hitting the road soon? I'm itching to try out some of our new gear."

"In the morning," Adam said as he pulled out the house key. "I want to get a good night's rest first, so none of us drives off the road again," Adam looked at Alfie as he said that.

"I was avoiding the squirrel," the former angel told them.

"Avoiding the squirrel doesn't mean driving all the way into the opposite lane," Adam said as he opened the door for them. "You're lucky there were no other cars on the road that night."

"Well, we should be refreshed enough in the morning so that the guy without a license doesn't have to endanger us," Ben said.

"My host vessel has a license," Alfie told them. "I still have the memory of it."

"Yeah, but the real Alfie is also in heaven," Adam reminded him as he closed the door and felt around for the light switch in the dark. "Along with pretty much everyone else we've ever known or loved.. aw, I made myself sad."

As Adam flipped the light switch, the trio didn't recognize anything about the place they were in. It was no longer a living room, it was a tacky looking 1970's game show set. The three young men were standing behind identical podiums, staring at a large game board across the room.

"What the hell is this?" Adam asked.

"Are you ready to play for cash, prizes, and your eternal soul?" the announcer backstage said. "Let's meet tonight's contestants! Adam Milligan is a closeted bi-sexual high school AV geek with a degree in repressing his anger and is afraid of hurting his best friends!"

"Dude," Ben said in a shocked tone as he looked at Adam. "You were in the AV club?"

"Yeah, but I'm not-" Adam said in shock as he looked at his friends. "He's a damn liar!"

"Ben Braeden is a rebel without a clue, but he does have serious "Daddy didn't love me issues" and cries himself to sleep at night over his dead girlfriend and missing mommy!"

"I thought that's what that noise was," Alfie said.

"You son of a bitch!" Ben shouted toward the announcer, where ever he was.

"And Samandriel is a former angel and all around perfect doormat who'll never get laid!"

"... Okay, now that one we can agree on," Adam said.

"Yeah, that is kind of true," Ben added.

"And today these three losers will be competing for their lives on TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES!"

"Come again?" Adam asked as he looked up.

"And now, here's the host of the show, Greg Bobby Peter Marshall!"

The host of the show came running out onto the stage, blowing kisses to the audience, which is when Alfie recognized him immediately.

"It's you! You're-"

The host pulled out a remote control, muting the young man's voice. "No giving away answers without buzzing in first! Now, let me explain the rules of the game for those just tuning in. Our three contestants here are about to embark on a series of challenges, of which only one of you gets to go home. At the end of the game, whoever wins gets a free ride home, and the other two losers? Well, let's not spoil the fun, shall we?"

"What the hell is going on here!?" Adam asked. "Where are we? Why does my living room look like a freakin' game show?"

"Looks like someone got into Ben's emergency stash, know what I'm sayin'?" the host asked, winking at the camera as the audience laughed.

"Where's that laughing coming from?" Ben asked as he looked around.

"The rules of the game are simple, boys: There are no rules! Winner takes all, so may the best man, or former angel as the case may be, win! Let's start with the trivia round. And our categories are:

 _ **Daddy Didn't Love Me**_

 _ **My Brothers Are Dicks**_

 _ **Mommy, Where Are You?**_

 _ **Promises You Can't Keep**_

 _ **Ben's Drinking Problem and the People Who Refuse to Deal With It**_

 _ **Things Ben Touches Himself To**_

 _ **What Samandriel Is Afraid Of**_

 _ **and Potent Potables**_

Adam, we'll start with you. Pick a category."

Adam looked at the board, then back at his friends. "I'll take...'My Brothers Are Dicks'' for $500."

"And the answer is, "What Archangel makes Adam wet himself at night when he sleeps.""

Alfie buzzed in and tried to answer, but was still mute.

"Oh, my bad," the host said as he turned off the mute button.

"Who is Michael?" Alfie guessed as the bell dinged.

"Correct!" the host said. "Samandriel, or would you prefer Alfie? Pick the next category."

""Mommy, Where Are You?" for $500," Alfie said.

"And the answer is, "No one knows."

The three young men just stood there until the buzzer dinged.

"And the question is...Where is Ben's Mommy? So it looks like all three of you get the money! Alfie, you still control the board!" the host said as Ben looked like he was going to cry. Adam put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

""My Brothers Are Dicks" for $600," Alfie said.

"And the answer is "These two gave the following reaction seven years after their brother's fall into the Cage when his name was mentioned." the host said as he just shrugged.

Adam buzzed in. "Who are Sam and Dean Winchester?"

The bell dinged. "Correct! Adam, pick a subject!"

"You know what, no!" Adam shouted. "It seems like all these categories are designed to hurt me and my friends, so screw you, and screw your gameshow!"

"Ooh, bad answer," the host said as a black hole opened behind him. "You can forfeit now and give your buddies a chance to go home, or you can keep playing. Your choice."

"Adam, just play along, we can still find a way out of this," Ben told him. "Please."

"Yes, Adam, we need you," Alfie said as Adam just sighed in defeat.

""Things Alfie Is Afraid Of" for $500,"

"Really?" Alfie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What are reruns of Facts of Life?"

"Who is Ronald McDonald?"

"What is a rehab center in Wyoming?"

"Who is Michelle Obama?"

"What is spiral macaroni?"

"Hey, my drinking isn't that bad!"

"Ben, you're drinking right now!"

* * *

At the end of the round, only one box remained, and the three young men know way more about each other than they ever wanted to.

"What is "The First Wives Club"?" Adam asked as he looked at Ben, who just shrugged.

"And that completes the end of the first round!" the host said. "And we'll be right back with the start of round two to see if Adam can keep up his lead!"

"Gabriel, what is the meaning of this?" Alfie asked. "I thought you were dead."

"I could say the same for you, Cupcake," Gabriel told him with a wink. "That's not just a nickname, boys, his angel form could really crap out strawberry cupcakes, he was a real hit at birthday parties."

"The Archangel Gabriel?" Adam asked. "I know about you, from when Michael was inside me," Adam shifted his eyes. "That came out way wrong."

"Look, boys, there's a method to my madness, just keep playing the game, because whoever wins gets a special surprise," Gabriel said.

"Oh, screw this," Adam said as he jumped over the podium and ran at Gabriel.

"Round 2 begins now, gentlemen," Gabriel said as he snapped his fingers and everything went dark.

The lights came back on as the trio found themselves in an American Gladiator style obstacle course.

"Great," Adam said as he noticed they were all dressed in blue singlets with helmets and boots. "Can you can see my junk through this singlet?"

"I'm not falling for that one," Ben told him as the music started. "Alfie, you stared, didn't you?"

"You really can see it," Alfie said. "It's quite hypnotic."

"Okay, gentlemen, the object of round 2 is to get to the end of the course safely, and by safely, I mean alive. You can and will die if you screw up here, so good luck and have fun!"

"Be careful, guys," Adam told them as he watched Ben go first. "Alfie, about the things in that first round, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Alfie told him. "Friends really shouldn't have secrets anyway, should they? Yours are safe with me."

"Thanks," Adam said as they continued on. As they were a short way into the course, a flame thrower popped out as Adam pushed Alfie to the ground. "That guy wasn't kidding. This place is a death trap!"

"Go on," Alfie told him. "I'll keep up. Get to the end, the sooner one of us wins, the sooner this thing is over."

Adam helped him up as they kept running, with Ben looking back to make sure his friends were okay. The three dodged poison darts, pits full of poisonous snakes, robots with chainsaws, and various other deathtraps. And Alfie lost a boot along the way.

A short while later, Ben noticed the end of the obstacle course. "We're almost there! We can all cross at the same time!"

"I hope this works," Adam said as a pit opened up under him and Alfie. Both fell and clung to the edge.

"Hang on!" Ben shouted as he ran back and tried to help them up.

"Go on!" Adam shouted. "Win the course!"

"What? No! I'm not leaving you two to die!" Ben said as he took Alfie's hand. "We all get out of here, or none of us gets out!"

Ben pulled on Alfie's arm, but his grip slipped and he fell back through the finish line, landing on his back. As soon as he hit the ground, Alfie and Adam appeared next to him.

"And we have a winner!" Gabriel said, snapping his fingers before any of the boys could get up to get at him. Darkness came as the three suddenly found themselves sitting at a table with three mountains of hot dogs.

"Seriously? A hot dog eating contest?" Adam asked. "I have so got this won."

"And the winner is Alfie!" Gabriel announced as held up the young man's arm.

"You're rail thin, how the hell did you do that?" Adam asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"My vessel has an insanely high metabolism," Alfie told him.

"And at the end of the third round, we have a three-way tie!" Gabriel said. "Which means our final round is... sudden death!"

"Alright, guys," Adam told them. "No matter what happens, you guys are my best friends. If only one of you gets to go home, nobody holds back, got it?"

"Vampires," Ben whispered as he closed his eyes. "Me and my mom were attacked by vampires the night I lost her. I could have saved her, but I was too weak. If I don't make it home, promise me you'll find her."

"That's been your big secret this whole time?" Adam asked. "Kind of makes mine kind of pathetic. I- I have a boyfriend."

"It wouldn't happen to be Matt, would it?"

"It was when we were in Branson, I saved him from a ghoul, one thing led to another... I didn't know how you guys would react," Adam said.

"You like dudes, who cares?" Ben asked. "Doesn't change who you are to me."

"I, too, have a secret," Alfie said. "My host vessel did not have a driver's license, only a learner's permit."

"... You bastard," Ben said as he looked at Alfie.

"Guys, no matter what happens, I love you both," Adam said.

"Dude," Ben said. "Really? We're going with that for our last moment together?"

Before anyone else could get a word out, everything went dark.

* * *

When the lights came back on, Adam found himself alone in a sound proof booth.

"Now what?" Adam asked.

"Final round," Gabriel's voice said as he stood outside. "This one's all on you, Adam. All you have to do is say the word and your friends will be dropped into the eternal void, which is where the worst of the worst go when they die to make sure they can't come back. You can go home, Adam, just tell me what I want to hear."

Adam took deep breaths as he closed his eyes.

"Go to Hell," Adam told him. "Drop me into the void, but let Ben and Alfie go home. If I have to choose between my friends dying or me, then I'm choosing me to take the punishment."

"Is that your final answer?" Gabriel asked.

"They're more family to me than those dickbags that I actually share DNA with," Adam told him. "So go ahead, kill me if it means my family can live."

"As you wish," Gabriel said as he snapped his fingers. The floor under Adam dropped open as the fell into a pitch black void. "Game over."

* * *

"Adam, wake up,"

Adam slowly opened his eyes and found he was laying on the bed in the living room. Alfie and Ben were in the room as well, with Ben on the floor next to the couch, and Alfie laying next to Ben. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Ben told him. "That douche game show host gave me a choice to go home or let my friends die, and I told him to take me and let you guys live."

"As did I," Alfie said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I was willing to die for my friends."

"All three of you were," Gabriel said as he sat in a chair by the door, doing a slow clap. "About time you sleepy heads woke up. I was about to just give up and leave."

"How are you still alive?' Alfie asked.

"Hey, like a prostitute, a magician never gives away his tricks," Gabriel told them. "You three were supposed to be at each other's throats to get out of that game show set-up, at least that's what I thought might happen. What the hell happened? Humans are supposed to be pompous, self-serving jerks who only look out for #1."

"I told you, we're family," Adam said.

"Yeah, I don't care that Adam's bi-sexual," Ben added.

"Or that Alfie is afraid of Care Bears," Adam said.

"Or that Ben is sexually attracted to Bette Midler," Alfie told him.

"So, the whole of point of this whole shenanigan was that we're willing to risk our lives for each other, am I right?" Adam asked.

"Which you proved in the obstacle course," Gabriel reminded them. "And then again when you each volunteered to sacrifice yourselves for your friends. Which is the reason I chose the three of you in the first place. You see, I was hoping when the odds were stacked against you, that you'd stick together. Family to the end, right?"

"That's right," Alfie told him. "So what was the point of putting us through all of that?"

"Just to make sure I made the right decision in bringing someone here to join your little escapade," Gabriel said.

"And the hot dog eating contest?" Adam asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to see you guys eat a bunch of hot dogs," Gabriel said as he opened the door and looked outside. "Where'd he go? That kid never sits still."

"I'm right here," a young man of 20 said as he came out of the bathroom. He had shaggy brown hair and dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, blue jean shorts, and red sneakers. "These the losers you picked to dump me off on?"

"Wait, what?" Adam asked.

"Boys, meet your new buddy, Jesse Turner," Gabriel told them.

"Uncle Gabriel, please, don't be so formal," Jesse said as he looked at his new friends. "You can just call me the Anti-Christ."

The Omen theme song started playing as everyone looked at Gabriel, who was holding his cellphone. "Oh, sorry, gotta take this call."

 **Next: Friendship is Magic!**


	19. The Passion of the Anti-Christ

**Supernatural: Wayward Sons #6**

 **"The Passion of the Anti-Christ"**

 _2009_

Jesse Turner walked upstairs to say goodbye to his adoptive parents before the Winchesters took him to his new home, but Jesse didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay with the people who had raised him as their own son, who loved him even when he screwed up. But he also knew that the demons wouldn't stop coming for him, and that meant his parents were in danger, and all because of his powers.

Jesse went to his room to pack his belongings, seeing a poster for Australia hanging on his wall. He closed his closed his eyes and imagined the cool breeze of the beach hitting his face at the same time the sun was shining down on him. When he opened his eyes, he was sitting in a beach chair, overlooking the ocean while dressed in a pair of board shorts and sipping on a cold lemonade.

"This could work," Jesse said to himself.

* * *

Jesse found that he liked living on the beach, and had soon taken up surfing. Sure, he could have used his powers to become a pro surfer, but in the end, he didn't need to. He was a natural at riding the waves and was out in the water almost every day. It had been six months since he'd warped himself to Australia and wasn't getting tired of any of it.

But still, he missed his parents and thought about checking in on them, even for just a moment. Surely the Apocalypse had to have been averted since his part of the world was still standing, right? There were no news reports of major destruction in North America, or anywhere else, so maybe it was safe to go home, if just for a few minutes.

Jesse headed back to his beach front home, which on the outside looked small and dilapidated. But on the inside, it was much, much larger. It looked like a large mansion, with a large flatscreen t.v., video game system, and everything else a boy could want in a home. Everything except his parents.

"It's time," Jesse said to himself as he imagined himself wearing a nice suit and tie, instead of his usual shorts and Hawaiian shirt. He was about to teleport himself home when a hand put itself on his shoulder.

"Wouldn't do that, kid," Gabriel said.

"Who are you?" Jesse asked. "Are you a demon?"

"No, I'm an Archangel. Correction, I'm THE Archangel," Gabriel said with a devious smirk. "You might say I'm your uncle. Uncle Gabriel, and you are the Anti-Christ, am I right?"

"I turned the last angel who came for me into a toy," Jesse said as he stepped back.

"And I laughed my ass off at that," Gabriel told him. "I'm not here to kidnap you or kill you, Jesse. I'm here for the same reason you are, to ride out the Apocalypse in style. You seem to have a nice pad here. Pocket reality, right? Completely off the map of everyone, even God himself couldn't find this place if he tried. Mind if I crash here for a few millennia until things settle down?"

"How did you find me?" Jesse asked.

"Because only four beings are powerful enough to use pocket realities to get away. You, me, Death and Warwick Davis. Did you know they didn't need special effects for those Leprechaun movies? That was 100% Warwick doing all those magic tricks."

"Why did you stop me from going home to see my parents?" Jesse asked. As soon as he asked that, Gabriel seethed a little before answering.

"Your parents are dead," Gabriel said. "Sorry, had to rip that band-aid right off."

"Dead?" Jesse asked, his lip trembling.

"Yeah, Lucifer's demons came to force them to talk, they didn't have any info to give up, so they were killed and the house was burned to the ground," Gabriel said casually as he saw the tears welling up in Jesse's eyes. "Wow, you really are half-human. Look, kid, I'm sorry for your loss, but there's nothing you can do. If the demons get ahold of you, the world ends. And frankly, I like the world. No world, no more Marvel movies, and I hear that cinematic universe is going to be freakin' awesome."

"So my family is dead," Jesse said as he started crying.

"Aw, kid, I know it's rough, but I've been watching loved ones die since the dawn of time," Gabriel told him as he bent over to look Jesse in the eyes. "And not all your family is gone. Still got me if you want me to hang around. We could watch each other's backs, and maybe I could teach you to use those insanely powerful... powers."

"I hate these powers," Jesse told him. "What good are they if they can't bring my parents back?"

"Looks like you've been doing pretty well with them so far," Gabriel said as he looked around. "You are the most powerful being on Earth, kid."

* * *

 _Now_

"You can do what you want, have what you want, and no one can stop you. Those were your exact words," Jesse said as he fell back onto the recliner, already bored. "Then why do I need people watching after me? I'm already over 18, I'm old enough to take care of myself," Jesse looked at his watch. "Ooh, Spongebob's on."

Gabriel took Adam and Ben aside. "IIIIIII may have made a mistake or two when bringing Jesse up. I mean, a kid with infinite power, how do you be strict with a kid like that? Long story short, the kid is a brat with a short attention span, and frankly, I need to stretch my wings for a while, especially now that his powers are jacked up to maximum with Lucifer walking around topside again."

"You're dumping him on us?" Adam asked as he looked back at Jesse, who was already gone. "Where'd he go?"

"Not far. It turns out his powers are only at maximum level when Lucifer's out of the cage and giving him a battery charge. If Lucifer's in the box, then the kid's about as powerful as your basic Knight of Hell," Gabriel told him. "The kid's powerful, but not so powerful I couldn't put a homing spell on him. It also acts as a leash so that he can't go too far away," Gabriel said as he touched Alfie's forehead, who nearly passed out from the surge of energy flowing into him. "And now it's all yours. You'll know where he is at all times."

"That's great, but how do we control him?" Ben asked as he caught Alfie before he hit the ground.

Gabriel's eyes just shifted away and back at them. "One of life's great mysteries, kid. Have fun!"

"Now wait just a damn minute," Adam said, but Gabriel was already gone. "Alfie, wake up, you need to tell us where this guy is so we can reign him in."

"He's the Anti-Christ, you can't reign him in," Alfie weakly told them. "You can only try to talk him down and hope he doesn't warp you to Pluto."

"He can do that?" Ben whispered.

"I was embellishing," Alfie said. "Pluto's not a planet, so whatever planet is near that."

"Weapons, we're going to need the angel blade, just to be safe," Adam said.

"Forget the blade, we're tossing the big stuff at him," Ben said as he grabbed his backpack.

"What big stuff?" Adam asked. "All we have is the blade and that stupid flashlight that you still haven't told me what it does."

"Okay, I guess I should tell you," Ben said. "Valentine's Day after you took off, me and Alfie went out to get a pizza, but on the way back, we decided to to go back to War's van and see if he had anything worth using. Found a bunch of stuff he took from the cherubs that he killed, including bows and arrows made from the same metal the angel blade is made out of. So I kept two of the bows and melted the rest down into new weapons."

"Where? How?" Adam asked.

"I set up a workshop in the basement, didn't you wonder what I was doing down there?"

"I saw you taking a Jennifer Aniston poster down there, I figured you were getting in for some... alone time," Adam said uncomfortably.

"Well... I was," Ben said as he shifted his eyes. "But I was also making some gear to help us. Come on, I'll tell you on the way."

"You did sanitize these weapons afterward, right?"

"Uh... sure, let's go with that."

* * *

Jesse was less than a mile away, trying to find something fun to do.

"There's no beach around here for miles," Jesse said as he kicked an empty soda can. "What's a guy supposed to do for fun around here?"

He looked up and saw a fancy restaurant with a bunch of snooty people walking in and out. He smirked and got an idea on how to make his own fun.

* * *

"What did that son of a bitch do to you?" Adam asked as he helped Alfie walk. "Can you feel that little prick Jesse close by?"

"He's close," Alfie said, feeling light-headed. "I can feel him."

"Then let's go bring our little Anti-Christ home," Ben told him as he helped Adam. "Alfie, any ideas on how to keep him in check?"

"We placate him, appeal to his good side," Alfie said. "We find what he likes and we use that to our advantage."

"That's not a plan, that's sucking the Anti-Christ's dick so he doesn't destroy us." Ben said.

"Well, that's just great, what do you get for the Anti-Christ that can have everything?" Adam asked sarcastically as they headed for the door.

* * *

Inside _Viande Orphelin_ , the upscale restaurant that Jesse had decided to crash, the wealthy and powerful gathered to eat their meals to fine music and wine. Jesse came to the door in his Hawaiian shirt, blue jean shorts, and blue high tops, and was immediately stopped by the waiter.

"You can not enter, you...peasant," the snooty waiter told him as Jesse looked down at his clothes.

"Oh, my mistake, let me put on something more traditional," Jesse said as he blinked, and was suddenly wearing the waiter's clothes, while the waiter stood behind the podium, completely naked to the world. "What, you thought you'd end up with my clothes? Like I'd waste a perfectly good outfit on a jerk like you."

Jesse just lightly smacked the waiter's cheek as he strolled on past. He looked around and wondered what he should do first, then saw a waiter carrying a bottle of wine past him and knew what he had to do, being the Anti-Christ and all.

The waiter brought the bottle of wine to the table and poured a glass for the couple sitting there. The man took a sip and spit it out.

"This tastes like common water!" the man shouted, just as the other people at the other tables started saying the same thing.

"I'm terribly sorry," the waiter said as he saw Jesse there in the waiter's outfit. "You, go get fresh wine for the customers from the wine cellar!"

"Wine to water, beat that, Jesus," Jesse said as he passed the kitchen, seeing all the meals being prepared, then got another idea. As he walked past one of the tables, one of the women stared at him, then looked in her purse, seeing a pencil sketch of what a grown Anti-Christ would look like.

"Excuse me, dear, I must go powder my nose," the woman said as she stood up and headed for the bathroom.

* * *

"He's in there!" Alfie said, pointing to the restaurant as Adam and Ben had to help him along.

"When are you going to get your strength back, Alfie?" Adam asked.

"It took a lot of power for an Archangel to be able to put a leash on the Anti-Christ like this," Alfie told him. "Even for someone like Gabriel, it might have taken a lot to maintain that link. I should be fine within a few hours. A few days, tops. Maybe."

"Great. Just leave me here while you two go get him," Alfie said as Ben helped him sit down on a bench. "Go! I'll be fine until you come back."

Ben and Adam ran into the restaurant, just as Alfie's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he passed out.

* * *

In the women's room, the demon possessed woman hid the body of the woman whose throat she just slit in one of the stalls. Having filled a small chalice with blood, she swirled it around.

"I need to speak to Lucifer," the woman said. "It's urgent. I found him. I found the Anti-Christ."

"All operators are currently busy. Your call is very important to us. Please hold for the next demon representative."

 _Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh, Heaven is a place on Earth. They say in Heaven, love comes first, we'll make Heaven a place on Earth-_

* * *

"Here you go, madam," the waiter said as he brought the silver platter to the woman at the table. "One steak, medium rare."

The waiter lifted the silver lid off as the woman looked down at the steak, which lifted on one end and spoke to them. "Hi, how are ya'?"

The woman screamed as the steak stood up on its hind end and put a top hat on, just as a spotlight shined down on it as it started to sing.

 _"Be... our... guest! Be our guest!_

 _Put our service to the test_

 _Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie_

 _And we'll provide the rest_

 _Soup du jour_

 _Hot hors d'oeuvres_

 _Why, we only live to serve_

 _Try the gray stuff,"_

 _"It's delicious,"_ a rack of lamb chimed in as the food on the other tables started getting up to sing and dance.

 _"Don't believe me? Ask the dishes_

 _They can sing, they can dance_

 _After all, we're here for romance_

 _And a dinner here is never second best_

 _Go on, unfold your menu_

 _Take a glance and then you'll_

 _Be our guest_

 _Oui, our guest_

 _Be our guest!"_

"What the fuuuu-" Ben said as he ran in and saw the musical number. By this point, every piece of food on every table had sprung to life, doing intricately choreographed moves that were perfectly in sync with each other.

 _"Course by course, one by one_

 _'Til you shout, "Enough! I'm done!"_

 _Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest_

 _Tonight you'll prop your feet up_

 _But for now, let's eat up_

 _Be our guest!_

 _Be our guest!_

 _Be our guest!_

 _Please, be our guest!"_

The food then dropped lifeless back on the tables as everyone in the restaurant by then had already cleared out. Jesse sat there, laughing wildly. Ben and Adam grabbed his arms and pulled him up.

"Oh, hi guys," Jesse told them. "You missed the floor show. I'll start it over."

"Please don't," Ben said as they herded him toward the door. "We're getting out of here."

"Oh, come on, lighten up," Jesse said. "It's not like anyone got hurt. Except for the people getting gouged by the prices here. Ouch."

"We need to get you back to the house before someone realizes that the freakin' Anti-Christ is in town!" Ben told him. "The last thing we need is for you to bring trouble down on us!"

"No one knows it was me," Jesse told him. "You guys are no fun."

"You are so lucky that Alfie's holding onto the backpack with our toys," Ben told him as he pushed Jesse toward the door.

"Yeah, why'd we leave it with him again?" Adam asked.

Before they could get to the exit, the demon possessed woman blocked them, her eyes flashing black. "Going somewhere, boys?"

"Yeah, away from here," Adam said as they backed up. "Head out the back!"

Before they could make it to the kitchen, three more demon possessed people blocked them.

"We don't have anything to fight demons with, maybe having gear and leaving it outside when we needed it might have been a poor decision," Ben said to Adam. "Any suggestions?"

"Yes, that," Adam said, pointing to Jesse. "He's the only one that can-" a vase was smashed over Jesse's head, knocking him out as the demons converged on them. "Okay, now we're in trouble."

"Ahem!" a voice said from the entrance as the demons cleared a path for a man in his mid-twenties wearing torn jeans, sneakers and a blue t-shirt. He had a bishonen haircut and looked anything but evil as he stepped in, looking down at Jesse. "Uh... I said I wanted him unharmed. If the Anti-Christ has a concussion, we're ALL going to have a concussion when Lucifer finds out."

Shane looked at Adam and Ben. "And who do we have here? Wait... Adam?"

"Shane?" Adam asked.

"You know this guy?" Ben asked.

"We went to school together, at least before his stoner ass dropped out. I played drums for his garage band for a little while, not that we were ever friends. Shane was a total dickbag," Adam told him. "But I remember his mom being really nice and inviting the band in for dinner every Saturday. How's she doing, by the way?"

"I snapped her neck and tossed her body in a dumpster," Shane said nonchalantly as he looked at Ben. "Holy crap, is that- it can't be. Ben Braeden?"

"How do you know who I am?" Ben asked.

"Who doesn't know about Dean Winchester's kid? The King of Hell had you and your mom on a strict 'do not touch' list when he was in charge."

"Say what?" Ben and Adam asked in unison.

"Oh, right, the angel mind raped you," Shane said as he put a finger to Ben's forehead. "Let me fix that," With one touch, everything that had been locked away in Ben's mind came rushing back to him, causing Ben to pass out from the sudden surge. "Oh, by the way, Crowley's not the big dog anymore, so that 'do not touch' list is gone."

Shane kicked Ben in the stomach as Adam tried to break free.

"You son of a bitch! I'll kill you myself!" Adam shouted.

"Hardly, Adam," Shane said with a laugh. "Because now that I've got the Anti-Christ, Dean Winchester's kid, AND the first human to ever escape the Cage, I've got just enough to become the biggest dog in hell next to Lucifer, and believe me, I've been climbing that ladder for years. But it seems like every time I suck up to the power players, they always seem to die, but not this time. This time, I'm at the top of the food chain in Hell, especially now with the King on the run. Don't worry, though, you're not going to die. I know who holds the contract for your little deal to save Ben. And by the time I'm done, you're going to be my eternal bitch."

 **NEXT: Deal With the Devil!**


	20. I Know Why the Caged Anti-Christ Sings

Alfie woke up on the bench outside of the restaurant, seeing that it was well after dark. The former angel looked at his watch, seeing that a good 12 hours had passed.

"Where are Adam and Ben?" Alfie asked as he sat up, looking down at the backpack. "Jesse. I can locate him, and find out where the others are. And why they did they their weapons with me?"

 **Supernatural: Wayward Sons #15**

 **"I Know Why the Caged Anti-Christ Sings"**

The memories came flooding back to Ben the instant Shane touched him, breaking open the locked box in his mind that Castiel had sealed. Everything that was once a blur, a forgotten daydream at best, was now a vivid memory. Ben remembered Dean Winchester as clear as day. He could remember helping Dean work on the Impala; he remembered Dean helping him with his homework; He remembered Dean's advice on how to talk to girls; He remembered his first drink of beer.

He remembered being intrigued by Dean's journal that had been stashed in the Impala. Ben would sneak downstairs late every night to read from it, memorizing everything he could so that one day he could become a Hunter like his idol.

Then came the night that Dean, while under the influence of being a vampire, had attacked him and had to leave Ben and his mother. But he knew Dean would come back, and he did. Sometimes Dean would return late at night in a drunken stupor to try to talk Lisa, which would be when Ben would sneak down to look at the journal some more, now learning about the vampire cure, or at least parts of it.

He also remembered the demons and monsters that had become a regular thing in his life when Dean was around. The demons who had broken into his home to kidnap him and Lisa; the time he was kidnapped and replaced by a changeling; and the night in the hospital after his mother had been stabbed after a demon possession, which was the night that Dean had their memories wiped. That was the night that things started changing for Ben and Lisa. For a while, they were happier than they had ever been.

Then Ben's alcohol addiction started. At first, it was small things, like sneaking beers and the wine from the liquor cabinet, drinking just enough just so that no one noticed. Ben was in emotional pain and he didn't know why. Drinking seemed to numb the pain that couldn't put a name to.

Then came the most horrible night of Ben's life. The night he could have used his knowledge that there were horrible creatures out there. The night that Dean Winchester should have been there as part of their family. The night where Ben Braeden lost everything. And it was all because Dean had abandoned them and left them defenseless.

* * *

Ben woke up, bound to a chair as he struggled with the ropes. His head was pounding as his mind adjusted itself to the missing memories that Shane had restored to him. "Adam? Jesse? Are you guys alright?"

Adam was handcuffed to a pipe as he started to wake up, while Jesse found himself trapped in an iron cage suspended above the ground, with demon traps both above and below it.

"Oh, good, my little birdie is awake," Shane said as he walked in, looking at Ben and Adam. "I'll get around to you two dorks shortly. We've got a lot to talk about, mostly about how Adam managed to escape the Cage."

"What did you do to me?" Ben asked angrily. "You screwed with my head! I can't even think straight!"

"That's just the year and a half of memories coming back to you, overriding the false ones that Dean Winchester's main squeeze gave to you," Shane told him. "You're welcome for that, by the way. Just a little gift from the guy who's about to hand you over to the devil."

"You are so going into the cornfield, you douche canoe!" Jesse said as he winced in pain. The wrought iron was burning him, but luckily he was fully clothed instead of his usual short sleeved shirt and board shorts.

"I don't know where you've been hiding, but you've obviously been able to stay off of everyone's radar since the Apocalypse," Shane said. "I think it's time you joined your family, Jesse. Lucifer's going to welcome you with open arms."

"Lucifer can go fornicate himself with an iron pipe," Jesse told him. "I know what the demons want from me, and I know what the angels want. And I don't want any part of your war."

"There are a few battles here and there, but I wouldn't call it a war," Shane told him. "Sure, angels and demons loathe, despise, and generally hate each other. And we'd sooner kill each other than be in the same room together, but war? Far from it. No, Jesse, I want us to be the best of friends. You, the adopted son of Lucifer who'll help him rule the world, and me, the newest Prince of Hell."

"Prince of Hell? Won't Ozzy Osbourne be pissed that you're taking away his title?" Ben asked.

"You really are Dean's son," Shane told him as he turned back to Jesse.

"I don't want to be your friend," Jesse told him. "And I really don't want any part of Heaven or Hell. Just let us go."

"And let a prime piece of real estate like you walk away?" Shane asked. "I hardly think so. Lucifer's going to be very grateful that I'm returning all of these lost treasures to him."

"Yeah, right, we're talking about the freakin' devil, what makes you think he won't just kill you and take what he wants from us?" Adam asked.

"Good point," Shane said as he pulled out a tablet from his backpack. "Let me just look at my little demon tablet here."

"A demon tablet? What the hell is a demon tablet?" Adam asked.

"Oh, fascinating little toy, I'm not technically supposed to have this, but I spent the better part of two years tracking it down," Shane told him. "Found it under the mattress of some powerless douche angel named Metatron a few years ago, replaced it with a replica. He might be a little pissed to find out that it's just a bunch of soup recipes when he tries to read it. I've been dying for a chance to actually use this thing now that I've got parts of it translated. This is the Word of God, and everything anyone ever wants to know about demons is on here, including how to control a cambion. Cambion means-"

"I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!" Ben shouted.

"Calm down, cowboy," Adam told him. "You were barely literate when I knew you, I doubt you can read something as ancient as a tablet that came out of God."

"Phrasing," Jesse giggled from the cage.

"The Shane you knew was barely literate, going nowhere in life until I came along," Shane smirked. "But now I'm new and improved and I've translated just enough of this to make me the most dangerous guy on the planet. And when I get back, we're really going to have some fun."

As Shane walked out, Ben just looked over at Adam, letting a few moments of silence of pass between them.

"Tell me you didn't sleep with that asshole."

"ONE GUY!" Adam reminded him. "I have slept with one guy. Granted it's been on several occasions since we met, but can we move past that, please? Wait a minute... where's Alfie?"

* * *

Alfie arrived at the building, the backpack slung over his shoulder as he saw the demons standing guard. Jesse was somewhere in there, which meant that Adam and Ben were most likely in there, too. Alfie reached into his jacket and pulled out the angel blade, hoping it wouldn't come to-

"Angel," a demon said as he put a hand on Alfie's shoulder, turning him around to punch him.

* * *

Adam managed to pick the lock to the cuffs, rubbing his wrists as he was finally freed.

"Hey, how'd you do that?" Ben asked as Adam started to untie him.

"Because this is like, the twentieth time this has happened," Adam said as he held up a bobby pin. "I keep in my collar, just in case. Now let's get the hell out of here."

"Hey, what about me?" Jesse asked.

"He's vulnerable in that cage, we can kill him," Adam said as he looked at Ben.

"Adam, no!" Ben told him. "We're supposed to be watching him, remember?"

"He's dangerous, Ben. You saw what he did at that restaurant, and what he's capable of. What if he turns on us?"

"I'll be good, I swear," Jesse said. "I may like to have fun, but I am a man of my word. I promise that I will behave for you guys. Just don't let that asshat put a collar on me. I don't look good in a collar. I'm not evil, guys, I swear. I'm just... rambunctious."

"Fine," Adam sighed. "You get one chance, and that's it."

Adam kneeled down and scratched the devil's trap below the cage while Ben unlocked it. Adam looked up at the one over the cage and cut into palm before taking off his shoe, wiping the blood on the bottom of it before tossing the shoe, getting blood on the devil's trap and damaging it so Jesse could escape. But before Jesse could open the door, Ben flew back into the chair and Adam was flung against the wall.

"You wouldn't be trying to free my little bird, would you?" Shane asked.

Alfie fell to his knees as the demon possessed man went to punch him again, but as he pulled his fist back, Alfie shoved the angel blade into the man's stomach, killing him as the demon inside of him was vaporized. As Alfie stood up, the other demon ran toward him as Alfie shoved the angel blade right through his heart, watching as the demon in him died.

"A bobby pin, Adam? Really?" Shane asked as he smacked Adam hard across the face. "Maybe I should break every bone in your body. I'm sure Lucifer would be okay with that, you're not as important as Jesse, or even little Ben over there. Hell, you were never even important to your own brothers, or heaven, or even Shane. He never did like you, by the way. You were just the little gay kid that nobody liked and he felt sorry for."

"That does it," Jesse said as he kicked open the cage. "It's showtime!"

"Ben and Jesse are the only ones I really need, maybe I'll just flay you and-"

"Hey!" Jesse shouted as Shane turned around to see the Anti-Christ standing across the room. "That little gay kid is my friend! I guess, I mean we really don't know each other-"

"I'm not gay, I'm bi!" Adam shouted. "I have been with a woman, you know!"

"Well... whatever," Jesse said. "The point is-"

"The point is that I still have this," Shane said as he stood up with the demon tablet. "This makes me all powerful, you idiot. One word from this tablet and I can-"

Jesse snapped his fingers as Shane started coughing, spitting his tongue onto the ground.

"I'm sorry, were you finished?" Jesse asked. "I'm no one's puppet, especially to some low level-punk like you. Now, what other organs can I get you to cough-" Jesse started stumbling around a bit. "What the... I don't feel so good."

Jesse fell to the ground as Shane pulled out a demon knife and charged at Adam.

"Hey, assbutt!" Alfie shouted as Shane looked at the doorway, where Alfie was holding a flashlight. "Let me shine some light on your situation."

Alfie turned on the flashlight, which sent Shane flying across the room, pinning him to the wall in a projection of a devil's trap. He set the flashlight down as he went to help Adam and Ben.

"That's what the flashlight does?" Adam asked. "Why the hell haven't we been using that this whole time? And Alfie, we're going to work on your one-liners."

"What happened to Jesse?" Ben asked as he went over to the young man, who was passed out on the ground. A vibration was heard from his back pocket as Adam pulled out Jesse's cell phone, seeing a text from Gabriel.

 _"Lucifer's been taken down a few notches, it might affect your power level like the last time,"_ Adam read from the phone. "We'd better get him home."

Adam picked Jesse up as Alfie grabbed the demon tablet.

"What about him?" Ben asked as he looked at Shane.

Slinging Jesse over his shoulder, Adam grabbed the demon blade from the floor and walked over to him.

"I could have let you live, at least until you told me who holds mycontract, but seeing as to how you can't talk and all. Oh, and another thing? Your band sucked, and you know what else? I got handjobs from both your parents," Adam said as he shoved the angel blade into Shane's stomach, killing the demon inside with a flash of energy.

* * *

Later, at home, Jesse was sleeping on the couch as the boys stood around the dining room table, staring down at the new items.

"So, we not only have a demon blade, but we've also got the demon tablet," Alfie said as he looked at the new weapons on the table. "We must take care to hide the tablet in a very safe place. In the wrong hands, it could end the world. And I like the world, kinda."

"A lock box for cursed items. Patrick showed me how to make one, same inscription that I use for the trunk of the car," Ben said as he picked up the tablet. "I'll start working on it right away."

After Ben left, Adam looked at Alfie. "Be honest, you think we can trust Jesse?"

"He did make the attempt to save you," Alfie said. "And if Gabriel is right, his power levels have been severely decreased by Lucifer's defeat, at least for the moment. I think we will be able to trust him."

"Good, I'm going to help Ben with that lockbox," Adam said as he patted Alfie's shoulder.

Alfie sat next to Jesse, who was starting to open his eyes.

"You're the angel," Jesse whispered.

"Former angel," Alfie told him. "But I'm working on getting my grace back."

"Uncle Gabriel told me where to find it," Jesse told him. "But without my powers, I can't take you directly there."

"It's okay," Alfie said. "When the time comes, I will go restore it so I can be of more use to my friends."

"Without my powers, I'm pretty useless, too," Jesse said.

"Then we will be useless together," Alfie smiled. "Welcome home, Jesse."

* * *

Adam walked down the basement steps and heard sobbing. He carefully looked around the corner and saw Ben with a bottle of whiskey, sitting at his workbench and crying.

"We never really talked after we killed Shane," Adam said as he sat down next to Ben and took a swig from the bottle. "I guess you're my nephew, huh?"

"He walked out on us, Adam," Ben whispered as a tear fell down his cheek. "He abandoned us. My mom could be dead because of Dean Winchester. I was in a coma for a long time because of him. Because he couldn't man up and be there for his family."

"Family first, my ass. The only family he cares about is his baby brother," Adam told him as he handed Ben the bottle. "Screw anyone else who tries to get in the way of that twisted relationship. Look, Ben, before tonight, I honestly did think of you as family. I still do. Brother, nephew, or what the hell ever, I love you, kid."

Adam put a hand on Ben's shoulder to comfort him as Ben put the bottle down and stared at his newfound uncle.

"I don't want you to kill Dean," Ben told him as wiped the tear away before saying through gritted teeth. "Because I'm going to do it."

* * *

Later that night, in a sterilized laboratory where the only light was an eerie green glow coming from a tank across the room, a figure suddenly appeared. Stepping quietly through the room, he approached the glowing green tank where a child, barely a year old, was floating in the liquid inside with a breathing tube in his nose.

"Alright, Adam, you're doing me a huge favor," Gabriel said as he put a hand on the glass. "I can't stop your demon deal from going through, but I can fix another problem."

Gabriel reached down into the tank and touched the child's forehead, doing something to his mind before pulling back out. "Step 1, done. Step 2...," Gabriel pulled out a disk and walked over to a computer, switching out the disk inside for the one in his hand. "Good luck, kid. You're gonna need it."

And with that, Gabriel was gone, off to someplace where he could enjoy his newfound freedom.

 _ **NEXT: Issue #16, Time For a Wedding!**_


	21. A Nice Day for a Red Wedding

**Wayward Sons #16**

 **"A Nice Day For a Red Wedding"**

Ben returned home, having gone on an overnight trip to check out a lead that could lead to Patrick Wheat's missing twins. While the lead didn't pan out, he still knew he was getting close. Parking the Impala in the driveway, Ben checked the mail before heading into the house.

"Let's see... junk mail, junk mail, hey, a letter from Mikey," Ben said as he opened the door, where a shirtless Adam raised his head from the sofa that was facing the t.v.

"Oh, hey Ben, didn't expect you home so soon," Adam said.

"Okay, I'm assuming that Alfie and Jesse are still getting his stuff from his old place, and since you said you might be bringing your boyfriend over... Oh, dear God, are you two-?"

"Well, I guess this is just a good a time as any to introduce you," Adam said. "I want you to meet Matt."

Matt raised his head from the couch, smiling at Ben bashfully. "Hi."

Ben just stood there, silent for a brief moment before he started chuckling, which then turned into full blown laughter. "Uh, Adam... honey? May I speak to you in the designated baking area?"

"I'll be right back," Adam said, giving Matt a kiss as he pulled on his jeans and followed Ben into the kitchen. "You said you'd be cool with me having Matt over."

"I am, but you never mentioned one little, tiny, insignificant speck of information," Ben said as he put his hands on Adam's shoulders and started shaking him. "Do you see ANY resemblance between this guy and a certain former angel friend of ours? Any at all?"

"Oh, you mean you think that-"

"I don't think, I know that this guy is a dead ringer for Alfie."

"He is not, Matt's hair is combed way differently, and he doesn't talk like a second grader."

"HE LOOKS. JUST. LIKE. ALFIE!"

Adam just sighed as he sat down. "Look, at first, yeah, I thought it too. But the more I started to get to know Matt, I didn't see it anymore. I don't have feelings for Alfie, Ben. Maybe at first, but, after those first few hundred years in Hell, I could never be with Alfie in that way. Climbing out of Hell made us close, but not in that way. I really like Matt, I think I'm falling in love. But I want you and Alfie to be cool with this. You guys are my brothers, your opinions matter."

Ben looked out into the living room at Matt. "Well, his hair does look way different than Alfie's, I'll give him that. You really don't see any resemblance?"

"If I did, you wouldn't be catching us about to fu-"

"OKAY, I believe you!" Ben shouted as he covered his ears. "Just try to keep it in your bedroom, okay? So, if you're really into this guy, have you told him about the deal you made?"

"Not yet," Adam told him. "I'm trying to find a way to break it to him gently. But I still have five months. Hey, what's that?" Adam asked as he saw the letter in Ben's hand.

"Oh, it's from my old Hunting buddy Mikey," Ben said as he read it. "His baby brother Asher's getting married. You up for going to a wedding? Sounds like it's going to be a big Hunter get together."

"Hey, I'd love to meet more Hunters," Adam told him. "But, uh, what about Alfie and Jesse? You think it's a good idea to bring an angel and the Anti-Christ to a Hunter shindig?"

"Ooh, good point," Ben said. "But I think I know the solution. You going to invite Matt?"

"S- seriously?"

"Well, it'll be a good chance to get to know him, and you can break the news of you being ripped apart by Hellhounds and dragged to Hell gently to him."

* * *

Well, it's nice to know that I haven't lost all my powers," Jesse said as he set the last box down in the bedroom he was now sharing with Alfie. "I can still teleport as long as I'm within range of you, and I can still manipulate and move small objects. It just seems like I can't do the big scale stuff anymore."

"Perhaps that's for the best," Alfie told him. "You may stay out of trouble this way."

"Oh, please," Jesse said as he grabbed the ballcap off of Alfie's head. "Trouble is just another word for fun. My powers may have been turned down for now, but I'll always find a way to pull a rabbit out of my hat," Jesse reached into the cap and pulled out a gray squirrel before shoving it back in. "Must have picked the wrong hat."

* * *

"And now here's something I hope you really like," Adam said as he dug his old tuxedo out of the closet. "Hope it still fits. I mean, I haven't worn it in over 1,000 years after all."

"I'm sure you'll look handsome in it," Matt said as he sat on Adam's bed. "Are you guys sure you want to bring me along? I mean, Adam's told me about Hunters. I'm just not sure I'd fit in."

"He's told you about his half-brothers, I'm sure. Yeah, they're dicks, but there are some good guys out there Hunting," Ben assured him as he hung up the phone. "It's all arranged."

"What's arranged?" Jesse asked as he popped into the room, startling Ben.

"Stop. Doing that!"

"We're making plans for the kids while the adults go to a wedding," Adam told him.

"I am shocked and/or offended," Jesse told him. "I am a legal adult, and maybe I'd like to attend a- what was it again?"

"A wedding?"

"Wedding? Screw that, those are boring, make better plans for us."

* * *

 _One Night Time Road Trip Later_

Ben was driving down the interstate as Adam sat next to him, with Matt in the back seat.

"So, how'd you meet this Mikey?" Adam asked.

"I trained with him and his brother for a little while on the farm," Ben told him. "The group of Hunters he belonged to were always passing through, so Patrick would always put them up for the night. Then one night, Mikey, Asher, and Mason showed up, bloody and broken. They got thrashed trying to take down some werewolves a few towns over. Barely made it to us. Asher got the worst of it, he was barely alive. That caused something in Mikey to snap. After we patched him up, he took off in the middle of the night. Came back two days later, covered in werewolf blood. Not a scratch or bitemark on him."

"Guy really cares about his little brother, huh?" Matt asked.

"You have no idea," Ben said as he focused on the road. "I heard at one point, some gay bashers came calling at his Roadhouse, followed Asher and his fiancée there. Once Mikey heard what was going on-"

"He didn't kill them, did he?"

"Oh, no, he did break virtually bone they brought with them, though," Ben said, laughing a little. "Only man I've seen with more rage than you, Adam."

"Rage? Do tell," Matt smirked.

"Nothing to tell," Adam said. "Came out of Hell with a thousand years of pent up rage that I have to work to keep in check. Helps that I have friends a really hot boyfriend to keep me calm."

"I think my boyfriend is pretty damn hot, too," Matt said, rubbing Adam's shoulder from the backseat.

"Ugh, want me to drop you two off at the Motel 6 for a quickie?" Ben sarcastically asked.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the car as Adam's eyes shifted up and down before breaking the silence. "Wou- would you?"

* * *

"A FARM!?" Jesse asked as he looked at the land in front of him.

"Alicia and Chad asked if we could watch over things while they went to the wedding," Alfie told him. "They're good people, I'm glad to help them out keeping an eye on Connor."

"Who's Connor, their cow?" Jesse asked. "Oh! Pleasepleaseplease tell me that's it like that little pig on Green Acres with the hyper intelligence?"

"Something like that. He's been chained up so he can't hurt us ever since... the incident," Alfie said as he opened the barn door, revealing Connor laying in a hammock while reading an Animorphs book. "Connor is-"

"A vampire," Jesse smirked. "Even better."

"How did you know?" Alfie asked.

"I can tell most monsters apart from humans," Jesse said. "It was part of Uncle Gabriel's school for Anti-Christs. Shapeshifters, changelings, ghouls, vampires, I pick 'em out of a crowd just by looking at 'em."

"Alfie!" Connor shouted as he hugged the former angel. "I missed you guys. Who's the-," Connor sniffed the air. "Demon?"

"HALF-demon, thank you," Jesse said as he saw the chain around Connor's ankle. "Aw, that's no fun. How are we supposed to party if he's chained up?"

"We're not going to par-" Alfie said as Jesse snapped his finger, turning the chain into tissue paper. "You can't just let him loose."

"Why not?" Jesse asked as he put an arm around his shoulder. "Look, you said it yourself, this dude's been on lockdown since he got vamped. He's not on human blood and he seems harmless. Let's take the boy out for some fun, what's the worst that can happen?"

* * *

45 minutes later, the trio had been covered in pig's blood, watching the local high school burning to the ground.

"See?" Jesse asked with his arms around Alfie and Connor's shoulders. "This could have gone way worse."

* * *

"Mikey!" Ben shouted as he walked into the Roadhouse and saw his old buddy standing behind the counter.

"Ben!" Mikey shouted as he rushed over to hug him. "Look at you, all grown up. Welcome to the Roadhouse, guys, make yourselves at home."

"Mikey, this is my best friend, Adam, and this is his boyfriend Matt."

"Ben says you're quite the fighter," Mikey said as he shook Adam's hand.

"Only when I'm pushed," Adam said. "Nice place you have here. How'd you afford this?"

"Well, it was a dump when I found it, so I managed to get it cheap because I rebuilt most of it myself. Well, with help from my baby brother and my future brother-in-law."

"Speaking of which, where is the little guy?" Ben asked as he looked around.

"Uh... the little guy is actually 6'5" now," Mikey chuckled a little. "He's out picking up some last minute stuff for the wedding. You guys are actually the first to make it. Let me show you around, get you settled in before the wedding tonight. You guys probably want to catch a few hours rest, though."

"Well, they probably do, I slept in the car when we stopped at that Motel 6," Ben told him with a defeated sigh.

It wasn't long before more Hunters started showing up, including Chad and Alicia. Ben and Mikey met them outside, just as Mason and Asher returned from town with the supplies. Soon a dozen people had gathered for the wedding.

"Ben!" Asher shouted as he hugged his old friend. "I heard you're running around with a new group now."

"Yeah, but I only brought Adam. The other guys we hang out with aren't really... social situation type people." Ben said.

* * *

"PARTY!" Jesse shouted, swinging his shirt around over his head as the people around him stared.

"He does know this is a Burger King, right?" Connor asked.

"Well, to his credit, we did get two Whoppers for the price of one," Alfie said.

* * *

There were over a dozen Hunters in attendance for the wedding as everyone was gathered outside in the field behind the Roadhouse. It was close to sunset as the guests waited for the ceremony to start.

"I'm really honored you chose me to be your best man," Ben said as he adjusted his tie in the mirror. "I mean, we haven't seen each other in a while."

"Yeah, well, I don't have many non-Hunter friends, and you were always cool to me," Mason said as he put on his dress shoes. "I'm super nervous. I mean, I love Asher, I have since I taught him to shank that wendigo. What if I mess this up? What I suck at marriage?"

"Hey, you're going to do great," Ben said as he sat down next to Mason. "You and Asher make a great team. You've got each other's backs, and that's what counts. Now you'll be kicking monster ass as... who's taking who's last name here?"

"I hadn't even thought of that," Mason said, his hands shaking. "Oh my God, what if Asher wants to adopt children some day? What if I suck at being a father?"

"Just focus on tonight," Ben told him. "Focus on the man you want to spend the rest of your life with."

* * *

"I guess this is it," Asher said as he fixed his hair. "I'm going to be a married college student in twenty minutes. I wish Mom was here to see this."

"So do I," Mikey said as he hugged his baby brother. "But I feel like she's watching over us. It feels kind of weird, though. I've always watched out for you, and now... that's going to be another man's job from here on out. You don't need me anymore."

"I will always need my big brother," Asher promised him. "You've seen me through everything since the time that shtriga made me sick. You saved my life."

"Those Hunters saved your life, I just watched them kill that thing," Mikey told him. "I just wish I could have killed the monster that killed Mom. Come on, little brother, let's get you hitched."

* * *

"Everything alright, Adam?" Matt asked as the two sat in the front row with Chad. Everyone was sitting outside, where the sun was about to start setting within a few minutes.

"Yeah... no," Adam said, shaking his head. "Matt, there's something really important we need to discuss."

"You're not going to propose, are you?" Matt laughed.

"No," Adam sighed. "I don't how to tell you this, but-"

The wedding music started as Mikey led his brother up the aisle, followed by Ben and Mason. The four reached the altar, where Alicia was waiting, having been certified as an ordained minister online. Once everyone was in place, she started reading the vows as Asher and Mason held hands and exchanged vows, and finally the rings.

"Does anyone have any objections to this reunion? Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I object!" came a voice from the back.

"Oh, hell no," Mikey said as he reached for his gun. "Who are you?"

"Oh, we've never met," the young man said as he stepped forward. He was in his early twenties and dressed in black. "But I believe you knew my parents and the rest of my family. After all, you're the one who slaughtered them."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mikey asked.

"Four years ago, you singlehandedly slaughtered my entire pack," the young man said as the sun finally set. "You were relentless and showed no mercy."

"The werewolves that were feeding off of a small town?" Mikey remembered. "Your pack was killing innocent people. They killed Mason's parents and the rest of our group. You almost killed my baby brother."

"We were surviving the only way we knew how!" the young man said. "Until you came along!"

"Adam?" Matt whispered.

"Relax, there are a dozen Hunters here," Adam said as he reached for his gun. "Even if we don't have silver bullets, we can pump him full of enough lead to keep him down until we can some."

"But it's okay because I've got a new pack now," the young man laughed. "A bigger one; a stronger one. And now we're over two dozen strong."

The sound of several wolves howling was heard in the distance as Ben looked up at the full moon that was coming out.

"And we're here for vengeance," the young man said as he started transforming, while two dozen werewolves started surrounding the ceremony. As the young man continued to transform, the final words out of his mouth were a combination of human sounds and snarls.

"Leave no one alive."

 _ **Next: Wolves at the Gate!**_


	22. Wolves at the Gate

_The wedding of Hunters Asher & Mason, which was to be a romantic occasion and gathering of friends has quickly turned into a nightmare. A pack of werewolves, led by the survivor of a hunt years earlier in which Asher's older Mikey had single-handedly wiped out an entire group of werewolves, has arrived for vengeance on Mikey, threatening to ruin the wedding and, you know, murder everyone there._

 _But they've also crashed the wedding of two Hunters. A wedding where everyone but one person is a Hunter himself..._

 **Wayward Sons #17**

 **"Wolves at the Gate"**

"So, Adam," Matt Pike said nonchalantly as he looked around at the bloodthirsty werewolves. He was a dead ringer for the former angel Samandriel and currently Adam Milligan's boyfriend. "Do all of your get togethers end in bloodshed?"

"Actually, yeah, they kinda do," Adam said, remembering back to the Styne family reunion, and before that, the farm massacre where Patrick Wheat had taken the boys in after Adam and Samandriel's escape from Hell. Then there was Adam's 10th birthday party with Shaky the Epilepctic Clown, but that's another story for another time.

"I trust everyone else is packing, too?" Ben asked as he pulled a gun out of his jacket pocket.

"A wedding with nothing but Hunters? I'd be shocked if someone wasn't," Mikey said as he pulled a shotgun out from behind a chair.

"Bastards, this was supposed to be our perfect moment," Mason said as he held Asher's hand.

"We're together, it is perfect," Asher said, squeezing his husband's hand. "Let's send these jerks back to where they came from so we can get to the honeymoon."

The head werewolf started howling as the pack charged forward, as the Hunters started firing off rounds at them. One of the Hunters in attendance was jumped from behind by three werewolves and quickly torn apart.

"We need silver bullets, we're only going to slow these things down at best," Mikey said. "I've got silver back at the Roadhouse."

"You heard the man!" Adam shouted as he kept Matt behind him. He reached into the back of Adam's pants and pulled out a spare gun, firing it off and hitting a werewolf square in the forehead. "Where the hell did you learn to shoot?"

"Hey, you're not the only one with secrets," Matt smirked.

"Get to the Roadhouse, Ben and I will keep them distracted!" Adam said as he gave Matt a quick kiss. "Go!"

"You two can't keep them at bay alone," Mikey said as he saw two more Hunters getting picked off. "Mason, get Asher to the Roadhouse!"

"You heard him," Mason said as he grabbed Asher's hand. "We need to get to those-"

As the two were about to run, a werewolf's hand punched through Mason's chest, causing him to cough up blood.

"NOOOO!" Asher shouted as he fired off several rounds at the werewolf, disabling it for a few minutes. "MASON!"

"Go," Mason said, his voice trembling. "Save yourself, Asher."

"I won't leave you," Asher said, holding his husband's hand close to his cheek. "Please, stay with me."

"I'll always be with you," Mason smiled, still holding Asher's hand tightly as he died, his grip soon loosening as Asher realized that the love of his was gone. Matt grabbed Asher and put him over his shoulder, running to the Roadhouse.

"Sorry, kid, we gotta go!" Matt shouted.

"Almost out of bullets," Adam said as he saw everyone was almost to the Roadhouse. "Let's go!"

Adam and Ben started running as Mikey stopped and saw the werewolves gathering around Mason, ready to rip his heart out to devour it. That's when the anger started building as he clenched his fist in anger. But before he could do anything, he felt a sharp sting on his back as he started to fall forward. Adam caught him as he fired his last bullet into the werewolf's brain before running to the Roadhouse.

* * *

Adam and Mikey were the last ones in as Ben shut the door and bolted it, with the werewolves pounding the door and walls.

"What's stopping these assholes from shattering the windows?" Ben asked.

"Sh- shatterproof glass," Mikey said as Alicia looked at his back, where his blood soaked shirt had three large scratches. "The place is reinforced. We're safe for now."

"Get me the first aid kit!" Alicia shouted to Chad.

"So, this is everyone left?" Adam asked as he looked around. Ben, Matt, Mikey, Asher, Chad and Alicia. "Ben, what kind of weapons did we bring?"

"The usual fare, but nothing that's really good against werewolves," Ben said. "Unless the angel blade and demon knife can kill a werewolf."

"It's worth a shot, plus the silver bullets Mikey has stored here," Adam said as he looked at Alicia, who had removed Mikey's shirt to try to patch him up. "Is he going to be able to fight?"

"He'll be lucky to be able to stand with all the blood loss," Alicia told him as Chad brought her the first aid kit.

"Okay, six Hunters against two dozen werewolves, the odds aren't that bad," Adam said sarcastically.

"Seven," Matt told him. "I want to help."

"Nonononononono," Adam said as he sat Matt down. "No. I am not risking your life."

"So you'd rather be undermanned than have every hand available just to stroke your big bad Hunter ego?" Matt asked.

"Matt, it's just- I really don't think I could stand losing you," Adam told him. "For the first time in a- and I can't stress the word 'very' enough- a VERY long time, I'm happy. For the first time, I'm not feeling loads of anger. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I lo-"

"Hey, where's Asher?" Ben asked as he looked around while digging through his supply bag.

"I thought he was sitting over there," Matt said.

"Maybe he's off sulking, I mean he did just lose the love of his life," Adam said.

"That's odd," Ben said. "I can't find the demon knife."

"And wasn't there a ball bat wrapped in barbed wire hanging over the door earlier?" Adam asked as the two looked at each other. "Uh oh. Micheal, is there another exit?"

"A secret passage in the basement," Mikey said weakly, trying not to pass out. "Oh, God, you think Asher's-"

"Load up," Adam told Ben. "We're going to get him. Matt, you stay here with Alicia and Chad and get the guns loaded with the silver bullets just in case. We'll be back soon, I hope."

* * *

Ben followed Adam through the tunnel leading out from the basement.

"Adam, are you alright?" Ben asked. "I mean, we both saw what happened to Mason and-"

"The same thing could have happened to me, or to Matt," Adam said. "Or to... you."

"And you're not pissed off like you usually are," Ben told him. "I mean, a few months ago, you'd probably be chopping off werewolf heads left and right if you even though-"

"I can't feel the anger anymore," Adam admitted. "Whenever I try to, I just... see Matt there, smiling and telling me it's going to be okay. I love him, Ben. I didn't realize it until we were in danger tonight, but- I freakin' love him."

"Aw, my little man is growing up," Ben smirked. "I'm happy for you, Adam. I really am. I just hope that you know, we stop running into situations like this where he's put into danger because of our life."

Adam got to the door and started opening it. "Okay, get ready to strike. One, two... THREE!"

Adam threw open the door as the two Hunters jumped out and saw 23 dead and mutilated werewolves laying around in a blood and organ filled mess. And at the center of it all was Asher, standing shirtless, covered from head to toe in blood, with the knife in one hand and the ball bat in the other.

"Dude," Ben said.

"Aw, it reminds me of my first kill with the vampire nest," Adam said as he looked around. "Asher, buddy? It's me, Adam. Why don't you put the knife down and come back inside with us?"

Asher looked down at the knife and slowly raised it to his own throat. "I need to be with Mason."

"You're not going to do it by going that route," Adam told him. "Believe me, you don't want to go to the place that suicide takes you. Mason's in his own personal Heaven, and he's waiting for you, buddy. But you gotta get there in your own time, and trust me, it'll be well worth the wait."

"But I miss him," Asher said through the tears. "I need him."

"I lost someone I loved, too," Ben said as he came forward. "And I still miss Prue every day. But I know that I'm going to see her again. Just put the knife down, Asher. You're still needed here. Mikey still needs you."

"He's right," a voice said from not too far away. Cole the Reaper suddenly came into view. "You're not ready to die yet, kid."

"Great," Ben said. "What are you doing here?"

"You Hunters are dicks, that's why I'm here," Cole said as Mason's ghost suddenly appeared. "This one wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. I'm breaking a ton of rules by doing this, but fortunately, I'm pretty much head Reaper these days, so screw it."

"Head Reaper? Really?" Ben asked.

"There's been a... purge in recent years. Well, ever since the Winchesters started getting into our business, I should say. Tess, the Reaper who me into this business is gone, Death himself is gone, and countless others have died. We're being stretched thin, and everyone for some reason is looking to me to be the big boss now."

"Mason?" Asher whispered through his tears. "Please, stay with me. I love you."

"I love you, too, baby," Mason told him as he touched Asher's cheek. For a brief moment, Asher could have sworn that he actually felt Mason's touch again. "But Cole explained what's going to happen if I don't go. I have too much love for you to stay and become a vengeful spirit. We're going to be together again, I swear. But for now, you need to be here. I love you, Asher. And that's going to be what keeps you going until you're ready to come home."

"Come on, Mason, we gotta go," Cole told him.

"Cole," Ben said as he walked up to his Reaper. "Thanks for doing this."

Cole took Ben to the side. "I didn't just do this for Asher's sake. I needed to let you know that I'm coming for Adam. Try to break the deal all you want, but when the time comes, I gotta deliver Adam, no matter what I think of you dorks."

"Deliver him to who?"

"You didn't hear this from me, but-" Cole leaned in and whispered into Ben's ear before heading back to Mason and putting a hand on his shoulder as the two disappeared into the light.

Adam put an arm around Asher's shoulder, letting him cry on his chest.

* * *

 _Two Days Later_

"Asher still in bed?" Adam asked as he carried the bags out to the Impala.

"The man lost his husband two minutes into his marriage, I'd want to stay in bed, too," Ben told him as he handed Adam the keys.

"What's this?"

"I'm staying for a while," Ben told him as he looked back at the Roadhouse. "Look, Mikey and Asher are family to me, just like you and Alfie. Mikey's going to need help getting Asher out of this depression, and maybe running the Roadhouse."

"How long are you going to be here?" Adam asked.

"I don't know, a few weeks, but they need me right now," Ben said as they hugged. "Besides, after everything that's been happening, like getting my memories back about Dean, I guess I just need some downtime to clear my head."

"You take all the time you need," Adam said. "Come home when you're ready. Alfie and I will handle things in the meantime."

"Okay, take care of my baby. And no doing... stuff in the back seat. Or the front seat!"

As they walked away, Adam put an arm around Matt's shoulder. "He said nothing about doing it on the hood."

"I heard that!"

* * *

As they were driving down the highway, Adam tried to find the words to tell Matt what he was feeling.

"Matt, there's something you need to know. Something that's going to happen in about five months."

"I know about the deal," Matt said as he looked out the window. "Jesse told me a few days ago. I was just waiting for you to tell me yourself. And I don't care, because," Matt hesitated, knowing this was going to change everything. "I love you, Adam. And I want to spend as much time with you as I can before you go."

Adam smiled as he focused on the road. "I love you too, Matt. Do you maybe want to... learn to Hunt?"

* * *

"I don't like this, Ben," Mikey said as he poured Ben a beer at the bar. "You shouldn't keep secrets from them."

"I'm not keeping secrets, I really am going to help you take care of this place and Asher for a while," Ben said as he chugged his beer. "But I'm also going to track down this demon bitch who's trying to drag my uncle to Hell, and for once in my life, I'm going to save someone I love."

 _ **Next: Who is Matt Pike?**_

 _ **But first, check out the GODS & MONSTERS SPECIAL to get the lowdown on the next big arc starting in Wayward Sons #19!**_


	23. Gods & Monsters Special

**Gods & Monsters Special**

 **"The Legend of Todd"**

 _2008_

Todd Grantham was always the smallest kid in class, which naturally made him a target for the larger boys. He was always being shoved into his locker, into dumpsters, and any other places where a small boy like Todd could be squeezed into.

But that changed the day that Todd visited Lucky Chin's Chinese Restaurant and put a coin into the wishing well, gaining superhuman strength due to the cursed coin at the bottom. Finally, Todd could fight back against his attackers. But the wish didn't last and soon Todd was powerless again, although thanks to the older man who had made the mistake of crossing Todd, the other boys knew not to mess with him.

Although it took all of five minutes for them to realize that he no powers, and were soon back to bullying him, tossing Todd into a recycling bin this time. But as luck would have it, Todd has been tossed in at just the right time.

"Yeah, Dean, I'm taking the coin to be melted down right now," the older man said as he flipped the coin into the air. Peeking out of the recycling bin, Todd recognized the coin from the Lucky Chin wishing well. "I'll feel better knowing this thing can't grant any more wishes."

Following the older man to the foundry, Todd watched as the man had the coin melted down until it was just a pure metal liquid. Todd's father worked at the foundry, so Todd knew a little something about metal shaping. Taking the coin's remains, Todd tried to work quickly before anyone saw him.

Using his own belt buckle, Todd worked the remains into it, hoping there was still some magic left in the coin to let him get his superpowers back. There was only one way to find out, but he had to wait for those two old guys to leave town first so they didn't take his new charm away from him.

* * *

That night, Todd was laying on his bed, looking at the buckle, wondering what he should wish for first. He looked around his room and saw his broken toy truck laying on the floor.

"I wish for my truck to be a good as new," Todd said to the buckle. He looked at the floor and saw the truck was no longer broken and looked shiny and brand new. He just smiled at the buckle in his hand. "This is going to change everything."

* * *

The next morning, Todd woke up and headed downstairs while still yawning. Maybe he could catch his parents before they headed off to work for once. "Mom? Dad?"

Heading into the kitchen, Todd was expecting something special waiting for him. Like a birthday present, or a card, or better yet, his parents having taken the day off from work to spend time with him. All he found was an empty kitchen with a note from his father saying he was going to be working late.

"Happy birthday, Todd," the boy said to himself as he fixed a bowl of cereal. That's when he remembered he had a magic belt buckle now. He could get his parents to spend all the time he wanted together. Todd couldn't remember the last time he spent quality time with his parents that didn't involve a quick dinner or a parent teach conference. "I can wish for us to go to that water park, or we can go to on a family trip to somewhere like, I don't know, Milwaukee. But first, I have some bullies to get off of my back.

* * *

A short while later, Todd was heading toward the playground when he saw the boys standing across the street.

"There he is!" the oldest boy shouted. "Come on, baby Todd, come get your beating!"

"Alright, let's do this," Todd said as he looked down at his belt buckle. "All I gotta do is wish for super stre-"

 **WHAP!**

The second Todd stepped out onto the street, a large truck going 80 mph plowed right into him. A truck that looked exactly like the one the buckle had repaired the night before.

* * *

Todd found himself sitting on the pier with his feet hanging over the edge. Next to him was the girl of his dreams, Audrey, who was just smiling at him as they held hands. She was the only one who never made fun of him. Todd was hoping this wasn't just a dream, then he saw a giant teddy bear in a rowboat out in the water.

"I'm dead, aren't I?"

"You're getting there," Audrey said. "Your body was pretty mangled and you lost a lot of blood. You're probably not going to make it to morning."

"I just wanted them to stop bullying me," Todd said with a tear in his eye. "I'm tired of being small and weak."

"I can help you, Todd,"

"How? Audrey, did you make a wish, too?"

"I'm not really the girl you like, I just took her form so you'd be more comfortable," she said. "My name is Todreel. I'm an angel, Todd, and I can save you."

"Are you my guardian angel?"

"Something like that," Audrey said. "I'm gonna lay all the cards on the table here, kid. I need your body as my vessel. If you say no, you're going to succumb to your injuries and die. But if you say yes, I can heal you over time and maybe let you resurface long enough to watch me get revenge on your bullies."

"Resurface? You mean I won't be around anymore?"

"Think of it as a long, relaxing nap while I heal you," Audrey said as she stroked his hand. "You'll live for a very long time, Todd. You won't age, you won't get hurt, and you won't die. All you have to do is say yes. Clock's ticking, Todd, I need an answer."

"... Yes."

Audrey put a hand to Todd's forehead. In the real world, as Todd lay in a hospital bed, his eyes began to glow white as he gasped and sat up while still hooked to the monitors. His body was already beginning to heal, but there was a lot of internal damage.

* * *

"No one can explain it," the sheriff said three weeks later as he saw Todd's bullies, having been run up a flag pole in their underwear. They were alive, but had been smacked around a good while first. "It's just as weird as the stuff that was happening a few weeks ago."

* * *

At Todd's home, the angel Todreel was looking over Todd's shirtless body in a mirror. "It's scrappy and weak, but the spirit within it is strong. Anything tough enough to survive being hit by a truck, at least for twelve hours, is stronger than what it seems. It's almost as if this body was designed just for me."

It was then that the room started shaking, the windows exploded with a bright white light and sent glass everywhere, and a loud ear shattering noise was heard.

"Of course I willingly took this body," Todreel said. "It's stronger than you realize, it may have had something to do with a recent curse that was broken. Of course, sir, I'll get on it right away. No, this will remain strictly between us, I swear. Thank you for this opportunity, sir."

The light and sound stopped as Todreel quickly got dressed and headed downstairs, seeing the smoking bodies of Todd's parents laying on the couch, their eyes having been melted out of their heads. The young angel just shrugged it off and headed out the door. The last thing they had said to Todd was they were both going to start taking time off to be with him after having nearly lost him.

Audrey was coming to see Todd, holding her teddy bear as she saw the shattered windows all around the house. "Todd? Are you okay?"

Todreel just stopped to look at her. "There is no Todd, only Todreel."

The angel just continued walking as Audrey dropped a note from her hand, written to her months earlier by Todd. It was a note from a secret admirer telling her how much he liked her, Audrey just now having figured out who had wrote it.

"I like you, too," Audrey whispered.

* * *

 _"This mission is of vital importance, Todreel,"_ the archangel Raphael said inside of Todreel's head. _"The angel Anna had proven just how dangerous it is for an angel's lost grace to be left just sitting around. You will scour the globe and you will gather every last trace of grace that there is, then you will find a secure location for it. Heaven is not secure, especially with Lucifer's imminent return, so you will protect it on Earth. And I don't need to tell you that this mission is strictly confidential, no one is to know what you are doing on Earth, is that clear? If anyone interferes with your mission, be they angel, demon, or human, destroy them. Good luck, Todreel."_

So, over the next four and a half years, Todreel scoured the Earth to collect every ounce of angel grace that was left over from fallen and murdered angels, secretly gathering it into one place, although the hollow tree that he had decided to use was filled to the brim and couldn't hold anymore by the time he'd added the last glass jar to it.

Although he'd had little contact with Heaven since he started his mission, he wondered why Raphael, or any of his superiors for that matter, had tried to contact him. Raphael, Michael, Zacariah, Castiel, no one had ever tried to reach him. Perhaps it was time to-

Todreel's thoughts were cut off a loud popping sound coming from the sky above. Todreel turned his focus toward the heavens, seeing thousands of flashes of light emerging from the clouds in the night sky. He knew immediately what the lights were, and what that meant for his mission.

"Son of a bitch!"

* * *

 **"The Rock"**

It was the day of Oliver Seagram's 12th birthday, and all of his friends had been invited to the party that his mother had set up in the backyard. There was cake, ice cream, and a bounce house ready for when the guests started arriving.

"Oliver, put that table down!" Oliver's mother Hayley said as she saw her son carrying the large table easily in one hand.

"There was no place for me to sit with the girl I like," Oliver told her.

"Remember, just because you're starting to get your father's powers doesn't mean that you get to show them off," Hayley told him. "No one needs to know that you have super strength, or whatever else might happen."

"Oh, so the little one does have powers," a man said as Hayley saw a man standing in the yard. "Forgive me for the interruption, I've only come for the son of Prometheus."

"Who the hell are you?" Oliver asked.

"Oh, how rude of me, I am Ares, and I have unfinished business with Prometheus,"

"Prometheus is dead," Hayley told him. "He died saving his son from Zeus."

"Which puts his debt squarely on the boy's shoulders," Ares said. "I will have the boy one or way or another."

Hayley ran toward Ares with the knife meant to cut the birthday cake, but Ares held out a hand and zapped her, sending her to the ground.

"NO!" Oliver shouted as he tossed the large table to Ares, knocking him back several feet. Before he could get up, Oliver had pounced him and started punching Ares. "That's my mom, you dickwad!"

"You have your father's temper," Ares laughed as he swatted Oliver off of him. "She is only stunned, child, but if you don't surrender willingly, I guarantee you that much worse will happen to her."

"If I go, she'll be safe?"

"Oliver, no," Hayley said weakly.

"I give you my word as a demi-god,"

Oliver looked over at his mother, then back at Ares.

"You win. I'll go,"

"Good boy," Ares said as he took Oliver's hand. In a swirl of fire, both were gone.

* * *

"I could care less if Zeus is dead, the old bastard had it coming. Let the rest of those fools fight over his throne," Ares said as he chained Oliver's ankle to a rock that sat atop a mountain close to Mt. Olympus. "But Prometheus? We had many a score to settle. I even murdered him on occasion while he was strapped to that rock. But he always kept coming back to mock me."

"So what are you going to do with me?" Oliver asked as he tugged at the chain.

"Watch you suffer, that's what," Ares said. "You have the immortality of a demi-god, you will never die and you will hardly age. Why in 1,000 years you'll probably look no older than 18 in human years. Another thousand and you'll look like you're in your twenties. You won't get the luxury of dying every day like Prometheus did, you will be forced to live every second of your imprisonment."

"How long are you going to keep me here?" Oliver asked.

"Let's see, today's Tuesday, so... forever," Ares laughed as he mussed the boy's hair. "Enjoy eternity chained to that rock, kid. I may check up on you every milleninum or two just to see how you're doing."

"Wait!" Oliver shouted as Ares disappeared in a swirl of fire. "Don't leave me here! Please!"

The young demi-god tugged at the chain, soon crying as he found that even with all of his strength, he couldn't break it. All he could think about were the friends he was leaving behind on Earth, as well as his mother. At least she was safe, but in a few short years, she'd probably be dead. More tears fell as Oliver kept trying to break the chain.

As time passed, Oliver realized that he was getting taller. His clothes were stretching and tearing as his body grew into adulthood, and soon his shoes were too small for his now size 12 feet. His hair had gotten longer, but he was still as healthy as ever due to being an immortal demi-god. Oliver had completely lost track of the time, so he didn't know how many years he had been chained to the rock.

He had long since given up hope of ever escaping, he would never be free of his chain. He'd never see his mother again, or the little red-headed girl that he had a crush on. He was doomed to live forever on top of this mountain, never having any contact with anyone else ever again.

"So, it is true," a voice said one day as Oliver looked up to see a familiar woman standing near him.

"You're the woman who killed my father."

"That was an accident, the arrow was meant for Zeus," Artemis told him. "I loved your father. Had I known that Ares had done this to you, I would have intervened sooner. I took great steps to ensure that your existence was kept a secret from the Gods."

"How long have I been here?" Oliver asked.

"A little over a thousand years," Artemis told him as she unlocked his chain. "I can free you now, but Ares will continue to hunt you, child. Your only hope of true freedom is to confront Ares for your freedom."

"How?"

"Your father's sword is in a lake not too far from this very mountain," Artemis told him. "But first you must prove yourself worthy of wielding it. Only after defeating Ares will you be able to return home."

"What home? It's been a thousand years, my mother is long dead," Oliver said.

"Silly boy, this is Olympus, time passes by faster here than on Earth," Artemis explained. "For every day that passes here, only a minute passes on Earth. You have only been missing on Earth for less than a year."

"So my mom is still waiting for me," Oliver said. "I have to get to her. All I have to do is... fight a God."

"Take this," Artemis said as she handed him a shield, as well as some armor and boots. "These were your father's. Good luck, son of Prometheus."

* * *

After making his way down the mountain, Oliver found the path that headed toward the lake, but as he walked, several thoughts crossed his mind: How would he prove himself worthy to get his father's sword? And even if he did manage to defeat Ares and get home, would his mother accept him now that he had aged a thousand years?

As he continued walking, the young demi-god heard a rustling from the nearby bushes. Holding his shield up as a precaution, Oliver slowly stepped toward it and looked in, seeing a baby unicorn tangled up in vines. "Oh, poor little guy. Here, let me help you."

Oliver carefully unwrapped the young unicorn and saw its hoof was injured.

"Do you have a family?" Oliver asked as the unicorn pointed its horn at a large mountain. "On the other side of that mountain? It'll take forever to get there, but... I can't leave you here alone. Okay, hang on, little buddy, I'll get you home."

* * *

It took several weeks by foot, but Oliver finally managed to get the baby unicorn to the other side of the mountain, where a beautiful open field with larger unicorns were roaming around. He put the baby down as it scampered to its parents.

"Be safe, little guy," Oliver said. "Looks like it'll be a few weeks before I get back over the mountain to the lake."

As he turned around, Oliver nearly fell into the lake right in front of him. "What the-"

"You have proven yourself worthy, son of Prometheus," a voice came from the lake. "You were kind hearted in saving the baby unicorn from the thorns; you were brave in climbing the mountain, and you were selfless in putting your own quest on hold to help someone in need. Take your father's sword and remember the lessons that brought you here."

A sword rose out of the water and flew into Oliver's hand.

"I will," Oliver said.

* * *

 _Mt. Olympus_

"You know, it has been a thousand years, perhaps it's time I went to mock Prometheus's boy," Ares said. "Perhaps that will alleviate the boredom."

"How about I alleviate your head from your body?" Oliver asked as he stood at the door, sword and shield in hand.

"You left your rock, you naughty boy," Ares said as he drew his own sword. "Perhaps I'll remove your legs this time so that you can't escape again."

"I'll never be your prisoner again," Oliver promised as they ran toward each other, their swords clashing with a loud clang. The two struggled briefly before their swords continued to hit one another while the two danced in battle around the room. Ares knocked the sword from Oliver's hand and held his sword to the young man's throat, forcing him to his knees.

"Any final words?"

"Just two," Oliver said "Nut punch!"

Oliver's fist flew out, striking Ares as hard as he could in the groin. Ares buckled under the pain and fell to the ground as Oliver grabbed his sword and stood over him with his father's sword.

"Do it," Ares said in a high pitched voice.

Oliver was about to strike when he looked at Ares. "No, I'm not taking a life. I'm not going to be like you dickhole demi-gods who destroy innocent people just to get what you want. I'm going home to my mother, and if I even catch a glimpse of you near her, I promise that I will rain Hellon Earth down on Mt. Olympus just to get to you, Ares. Are we clear?"

* * *

Hayley was sitting in Oliver's old bedroom, just as she had done every night for the last eleven months, just staring at a picture of her and Oliver months prior to his disappearance. Her attempts at contacting the Winchesters were useless as she had no way to find them, but she knew that her son would find his way home someday.

"Where are you, baby?" Hayley asked as the doorbell rang downstairs. She headed down to the door and opened it, getting the shock of her life. A clean shaven 18-year-old boy was standing there with a shield and sword strapped to his back.

"Hey, Mom,"

* * *

 **"The Loneliest Li'l Anti-Christ"**

The nameless boy sat in a booth at the ice cream parlor, as everyone around him smiled creepily at him. It was the same thing everywhere he went, people would drop to their knees and declare their undying love for him. Sure, it was a great way to get what he needed: clothes, food, a place to lay his head, and whatever his heart desired, but it didn't take the boy long to realize that the people around him were under some kind of enchantment. They weren't real to him, they were just toys.

"Would you like another ice cream sundae, sir?" the waiter asked.

"No, I'm full," the boy said sadly. "I'm tired, I'm going home."

"Would you like me to carry you?"

"No, really," the boy said as he headed for the door, where everyone on the street outside was waiting for him to emerge so they could see him in all his glory, following him back to his hotel, where the boy had the nicest suite on the top floor.

As he kicked off his sneakers and climbed onto the bed, the boy grabbed the newspaper, seeing nothing but strange markings. The boy was illiterate, and giving himself the ability to read was just about the only thing he couldn't do with his powers. He crumpled the paper in frustration and turned on the t.v., wondering what was on. He came across a news report where a teenage boy was being interviewed.

* * *

"I'm standing here with Ritchie Morgan, a teenager who I'm told has just discovered he has psychic powers," the reporter said. "When did these powers first appear, Ritchie?"

"Well, they first started after I fell in the bathtub one night and hit my head," Ritchie said. "But fortunately-" Ritchie looked at the camera and thought he saw something. It was a vision of the boy laying on his bed, watching t.v.

"No way," the boy said as he got closer to the t.v. He reached his hand out, just as Ritchie did while getting closer to the camera.

"Ritchie Morgan, get in this house this instant!" a voice shouted from inside the house behind the reporter. Ritchie snapped out of his vision and shook his head.

"I gotta go," Ritchie said as he ran toward the house. "Sorry!"

As the boy ran through the door, he halted as he heard a voice inside his head.

"Boy, I know you are not running on my clean floor in those muddy sneakers,"

"Sorry," Ritchie said as he kicked his shoes off and ran into the parlor, where an old black woman was sitting on the couch. "Did you-"

"I saw him, too," Missouri Mosley told him as she looked up at the fifteen-year-old boy. "And I'm afraid that we've triggered something awful, boy. He's seen you, and now I feel that a great evil will be heading our way."

"Who was he?"

"A powerful entity born from evil intent," Missouri said. "I could feel it through you. I don't know what it was, but I know that it wants you."

* * *

"He wasn't like the others," the boy said as he grabbed his sneakers. "He was real. He can help me find my dad, I know he can! I'm going to Lawrence, Kansas to get him to help me."

As the boy opened the door, he saw his faithful followers waiting for him out in the hallway, smiling creepily at him.

* * *

"Okay, I need sage and thyme and I'm done," Ritchie said as he rode his bike down the street, not paying attention. As the new deputy sheriff walked out of a building, Ritchie nearly clipped him.

"Oh, sorry," Ritchie said. "I didn't mean to-"

"You're that psychic kid that everyone's talking about," deputy sheriff Lucas Barr said.

"Yes, sir," Ritchie said. "Funny story, I was in the shower one day-"

"Don't care," Lucas said. "Listen, kid, I've worked very hard, and had to move a long way from home to get this job, and I don't want some troublemaking kid causing trouble on my beat, got it?"

"I wasn't, I mean-," Ritchie said as Lucas looked into his bag. "What's all this?"

"Ms. Mosely needs this stuff for a protection spell,"

"Protection? From what?"

"Well, I kind of made contact with something evil, and now it's coming to get me,"

Lucas just raised an eyebrow at him.

"I think I need to have a talk with this Ms. Mosely," Lucas told him. "I'll be there after I finish my rounds."

* * *

Ritchie returned to the house with a bag full of supplies. This time, he remembered to kick his muddy shoes off at the door as he rushed to the parlor.

"Sorry I'm late, I had a hard time finding some of the stuff,"

"Boy, you were staring at the girl in the t-shirt who got caught in the rain,"

"Damn, I forgot who I was dealing with,"

"Boy, don't you swear in my house,"

"Sorry, ma'am," Ritchie said as he sat the bag down on the table. "I'm just glad my mom is with my sister looking at colleges. She wouldn't be happy that I brought true evil to our town."

"This isn't your fault, child, you have a gift, and sometimes gifts attract unwanted attention," Missouri told him as she started preparing for the boy's arrival.

"So, what is all this stuff supposed to do?" Ritchie asked.

"Protection," Missouri told him. "Unfortunately I don't know the precise entity we're dealing with, but hopefully we have some level of security against it."

"But what does it want with me?" Ritchie asked.

"Hopefully we won't have to find out," Missouri said as a knock came at the door.

"Oh, by the way, the deputy sheriff wants to talk to you about the evil that's coming."

* * *

The boy arrived in Lawrence, trying not to be spotted by anyone. He just wanted to find the boy who could help him and be gone. But he soon realized he had no idea where to find this boy and most likely would have to ask for directions. And that's when the town sheriff turned the corner and spotted the boy, quickly dropping to his knees.

"Damn," the boy said to himself.

* * *

"You honestly don't expect me to buy into this stuff?" Lucas asked, after having heard the story.

"You've seen things like this before," Missouri told him, seeing into his mind. "When you were a boy. In fact, I can see that we have some friends in common. Sam and Dean Winchester."

"The guys who saved me from being drowned by a ghost kid in the lake," Lucas told her. "What do they have to do with-"

"With the current situation? Probably nothing," Missouri told him. "But you do know that there are things out there that are beyond the realm of human perception. You've seen it yourself, although you've been burying it deep because you never wanted to admit to yourself that these things exist."

"Okay, let's just say that this great evil is coming," Lucas told her. "How do you propose to stop it?"

"Wear this amulet around your neck, it will protect you from the boy's psychic powers," Missouri told him, giving one to Ritchie as well. "He won't be able to control your mind, although he might be able to read it."

Another knock came at the door as it swung open. The boy stood just outside, before hearing Ritchie's thoughts. "Muddy shoes off before you come in," the boy kicked off his sneakers and walked toward the parlor. Just outside, the entire town had followed, the boy's stealth not having been effective once the sheriff saw him.

"I don't know what you are, but I know you're here for me," Ritchie told him as the boy looked at Missouri and Lucas. "What do you want?"

"There's been a mistake," Missouri said as she gasped, having sensed the boy's true intentions "It's not the boy. It's not him!"

"What are you talking about?" Lucas asked as a blonde woman suddenly stood behind the boy, tasering him in the neck. The boy screamed and fell to the ground, unconscious to the world.

"Thank you for luring him here, Ritchie," Dawn said, her eyes flashing yellow. "Now the real fun can begin."

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED IN WAYWARD SONS #19**_


	24. Bugs II: Electric Bugaloo

_2006_

Matt Pike was looking through the woods near his new home, hoping to find a new species of insect. Maybe if he found something new and interesting, they'd name it after him. After about an hour of searching, Matt heard a strange buzzing further into the woods. As he got closer, he found what appeared to be a large swarm of Yellowjackets, larger than the usual gathering of the creatures.

"What the hell?" Matt asked as he stepped backward, breaking a twig in half, alerting the yellowjackets to his presence. They quickly converged as Matt felt the intense stinging of hundreds of the horrible insects, falling backward into a pit, where he landed with a hard thud.

As Matt's vision got blurrier with the onset of his imminent death, he saw a dark shadow standing over the pit, staring down at him...

 **WAYWARD SONS #18**

 **"Bugs II: Electric Bugaloo"**

 _Mike's Roadhouse_

 _Current Day_

"At least he's eating something," Ben said as he watched Asher sitting at the table in silence with a bowl of cereal. "I think he's finally started coming around."

"He hasn't said a word since... that night," Mike told him. "Mason was the love of his life, I think this is what's going to finally break him. Maybe I made a mistake dragging him into being a hunter. Maybe- maybe I should have left him behind the night Meg killed our mom and burned half the city to the ground. He'd have probably ended up in a nice, normal home with loving parents. He still had a chance to be normal."

"He was in the middle of hell on earth, you know damn well that no one stays innocent after witnessing something like that," Ben told him as he packed his bag. "You sure he's going to be okay here by himself while we do this?"

"Yeah, he'll probably just find his way to the couch and stay there," Mike told him. "But at least he's out of bed, it's a start. Let's go, the sooner we nail this demon bitch, the sooner we can come back."

As Mike and Ben walked out the door, Asher just stared down at the wedding ring on his finger. He hadn't taken it off since Mason had placed it there during the ceremony. It was a symbol of their union, a marriage that should have lasted the rest of their lives. Asher gently rubbed the ring, trying not to break down crying again.

* * *

Adam and Matt were sitting in a bar not too far from home, having stopped by for a drink before returning to the empty house.

"You really think I could be a hunter?" Matt asked nervously as he stared down into his beer.

"Yeah, but there's also the fact that... I really do love you, Matt," Adam said as he took a drink. "And in a couple of months, when I'm gone, I want you to be able to defend yourself against what's out there. I don't want you to be defenseless the way I was when that ghoul...," Adam trailed off as Matt gently rubbed his hand.

"You're talking like there's no way out of this deal," Matt told him.

"I wish there was, but I can't break it without Ben dying in the process," Adam sighed. "He's my best friend, Matt. And now I know that he's probably my only real family. My dick half-brothers probably don't even know I'm out of the Cage, and my mom doesn't have a soul anymore. Ben deserves a chance to have a life. To find love and happiness and maybe start his own family someday. If I have to go to Hell, then at least I know something good will come of it."

"You've got a good heart, Adam," Matt said as he put his beer down. "I- I have to hit the head, I'll be right back."

"Alright, I'll call and check up on the boys in the meantime," Adam said as he pulled out his phone to call Jesse.

Jesse was sitting at a family restaurant, eating pizza while Alfie and Connor were playing games. Jesse's cellphone rang as he picked it up.

"Sup, dawg?"

"Jesse, if you ever answer the phone like that again, I will take you to Hell with me when I go," Adam told him. "Where are you?"

"Chuck E. Jesus, where a kid shalt be a kid,"

"Just try not to burn the place down. When are you headed home?"

"I don't know, we were thinking of staying out a few more days, having so much fun with Alfie and Connor and-"

"Wait, Connor? He's loose!?"

"No, the kid's never even kissed a girl,"

"You know what I mean!"

Jesse looked over at Connor, who was playing Mary Magdelene ski-ball. "He's not a threat, Adam. I know this guy, I've partied with him. I've used the urinal next to him. He's cool."

"Fine, whatever, just give me a heads up when you're coming home,"

"Jawohl, Lord Helmet!"

Adam just rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers as he hung up.

* * *

Matt headed into the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. He stared up into the mirror, looking at his reflection.

"I can't do this," Matt whispered to himself. "I won't do this," he said as he turned around, just in time to have a hand grab him by the throat and slam his head back into the mirror.

"Oh, Matty, tell me you're not having second thoughts on our little agreement," Dawn said as her eyes flashed yellow. "That would make me very unhappy."

* * *

Not too far away, the lone survivor of the werewolf pack that had ruined Asher and Mason's wedding was following the scent of Adam, having picked it up at the roadhouse. He was going to have his vengeance for the slaughter of his pack...

* * *

"Okay, here goes," Ben said as he buried the box at the crossroads and waited next to Mike's pick-up truck. "I hope this works."

"You already know the name of the demon who holds Adam's contract, we just have to find out where to get to her, and this is the best place to start," Mike said as he saw someone coming. "And here comes our lead now."

A little old lady riding a rascal rode up to them, stepping off and sizing the two young men up.

"My, Grandma, what big black eyes you have," Ben said as he saw her.

"The better to see your pathetic soul with, my dear. Well, well, the son of Dean Winchester," the old woman said. "Come to try to break Adam's deal, have you? Sorry, sweetie, but that's non-negotiable."

"Oh, don't worry about that, I'm after a bigger fish," Ben said. "I want the bitch who holds his contract. I want Dawn."

"And what makes you think I'm going to give up that information?" the old woman asked as she stepped toward Ben, but hit an invisible force. "What the-"

The wind started blowing away the dirt under her, revealing a carefully crafted demon trap hidden in the dirt.

"Start talking," Ben said as he looked at Mike, who was ready with the exorcism.

"She moves around a lot, but she's mostly known to stay around Lawrence, Kansas! Now let me out of this damn trap!"

"Oh, you'll get out, just not the way you were hoping," Ben said as he turned his back as Mike started the exorcism chant. "Looks like I'm headed to Kansas."

* * *

"I've done everything you asked," Matt told Dawn after she let him go. "I made friends with Adam, I got him to fall in love with me. I've even been sleeping with him like you wanted. But... I don't think I can do this anymore. He's a great guy, even if I don't have romantic feelings for him. I don't want to see him hurt."

"I think you're forgetting the part where I OWN you," Dawn told him. "I saved your miserable life that day when those yellowjackets had stung you nearly to death. And all I asked in return was that you do me a favor someday."

"And what is the point of all this again?" Matt asked. "What's the point in pretending that I'm gay just to lure this guy in when you're just going to kill him anyway?"

"Because I need him to be broken when I take him," Dawn told him. "I need him to be sad and miserable, which is why the last thing he's going to hear before I come is you breaking his pathetic little heart. You're going to crush his happiness, Matt. You're going to laugh in his face and tell him that he's been fooled for the last six months. Unless you don't want your pathetic soul back."

"He's my friend," Matt told her.

"Only until you tell him that you're not gay and that your relationship is an empty shell," Dawn said as she smacked him. "Your entire relationship with Adam is built on a lie, you idiot. I chose you because you look like the angel he has a thing for. So you're going to go out there and pretend to be in love with him or I'm going to kill you right here, and honey, if I have to kill you, it'll be way more painful than a hive of Yellowjackets. It's your decision."

Adam knocked on the bathroom door. "You okay in there, Matt?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm good, I'll be right out," Matt said as he found that Dawn was gone.

* * *

"You're not going alone," Mike said as he saw Ben packing. "Asher and I are coming with you."

"Asher's in no condition to fight, you'll be spending most of the trip keeping an eye on him," Ben said as he closed his suitcase. "I'm not putting your brother in that kind of danger. This Dawn is dangerous, and from everything we've been learning, she's far above your average demon."

"Which is why you need more than just... you," Mike said. "At least call Adam, or take this Anti-Christ character along, he's got some mojo you can use."

"I can't call Adam in on this," Ben said. "And I'm not about to trust Jesse on something this important."

"Then we'll send Asher to Alfie and Jesse," Mike told him. "We'll do this and get Adam out of his deal."

"You'd really trust your brother with the Anti-Christ?" Ben asked.

"Better here than against someone who'll actually try to kill him," Mike said. "Besides, if you say Jesse's cool, then that's all I need. I trust your word, Ben, I always have."

* * *

Adam and Matt were laying in bed, with Matt's head resting on Adam's shoulder. Both were tired and were on the verge of falling asleep.

"Remember the day we met?" Adam asked as he kissed the top of Matt's head.

"Yeah, you rescued me from that ghoul in the crypt," Matt said, his arm around Adam's bare chest. The truth was, thanks to Dawn, he knew Adam was passing through. She was the one who had set up their meeting with the ghoul, not caring if Matt got hurt in the process. "I was lucky that you came along. You saved my life that day."

"And then you turned around and saved mine," Adam said. "Ever since I met you, you've been helping me feel less angry towards the world. It's like all my problems melt away when I'm with you. Going to Hell doesn't seem so bad because I know I got to spend my last few months with someone I love."

"What about Ben or Alfie?"

"I love them, but they don't make me feel the way you do,"

Matt shed a tear and hoped Adam didn't see it. "Adam, I need to tell you something... Adam?"

Adam had already fallen asleep, comfortable with his boyfriend resting in his arms.

* * *

"Sure, we'll watch the kid while you're on your little getaway," Jesse said while sitting at a restaurant. "Me and Alfie and Connor will-"

"Connor?" Ben asked. "What did you do, Jesse?"

"I kind of...liberated him from your friends on the farm, then kind of... wiped their memories of him so that he was never there," Jesse said. "It's for the best, trust me. The three of us are getting along great. Uh-Oh, we'd better wrap this up, Alfie's drowning in the ball pit. See you in a minute. Wow, it's like he's having a baptism in there, see you soon!"

"What? Jesse, don't you hang up!" Ben said as he heard the dialtone.

"What just happened?" Mike asked.

"I'm going to strangle the Anti-Christ, that's what's about to happen," Ben told him. "Okay, you and me, then. No matter what happens, we don't tell Adam what's going on until we break this deal."

"You're breaking Adam's deal?" Jesse asked as he popped into the room, holding Alfie and Connor's hands. "Come on, let us come."

"NO," Ben said sternly. "You three will stay here and keep an eye on Asher, is that clear? And no mischief."

Jesse smiled as he caused three halos to appear over their heads. "Oh, right, one of us isn't an angel anymore," Jesse said as Alfie's halo shattered, causing Alfie to whimper a little as his lip curled up. "We'll behave."

Ben just stared at him as he backed toward the door with his suitcase. Mike walked up to Jesse and stared him in the eyes.

"That boy is everything in the world to me. If ONE hair is out of place when I get back, I will end you, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear," Jesse said as he touched Mike's nose. "Boop."

Mike just raised an eyebrow at him as he headed out the door with Ben. As soon as they were gone, Jesse looked at the others. Within seconds, he slowly rose up behind Asher with a bottle of hair gel and started restyling his hair.

"So, who's up for a road ttrip?"

* * *

Matt left Adam sleeping in the bed and pulled on his jeans and t-shirt, then headed downstairs to the backyard to watch the sunrise. He sat at a picnic table, trying to think of a way out of this without hurting Adam.

"I can't do this anymore," Matt said to himself. "I can't go through with this, even if Dawn kills me. I can't break Adam like this. I have to tell him the truth."

As the sun was about to rise, a rustling came from the bushes, although Matt was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to hear it. By the time the werewolf was on top of him, it was too late. Matt didn't have time to scream as the werewolf sunk its teeth into his neck...

 _ **NEXT: GRACELAND!**_


	25. Graceland, Part 1

The nameless boy, who had only ever been known to the world as the Anti-Christ, struggled with the wrist restraints that were keeping him strapped to the chair. A torture device was strapped to his head of the nine-year-old as the boy tried to break free, but he couldn't teleport away.

"It didn't have to be like this," Dawn said as she watched the boy struggle. "If they had only trusted me, none of us would be here right now. We'd be the perfect family. Lucifer the loving father, me the faithful mother, and you the perfect child. But it just had to be ruined because of that fool Azazel."

"Who's Lucifer?" the boy asked nervously. "I don't know any of those people. "

"Why, Lucifer is only the most handsome, most powerful, most giving creature in the world," Dawn told him. "And we're nearly a decade behind in your training. You were supposed to be the evilest thing that ever walked the Earth, and yet when I finally found you, you were wearing a Flash t-shirt and smiling?"

"I like the Flash," the boy said.

"Not anymore," Dawn told him. "From now on, you're going to be the ultimate soldier, and starting with this town, we're going to hand it all over to Lucifer on a silver platter. Get ready, kid, because Lucifer's rule starts now."

Dawn turned on the torture device as the boy started screaming in horrible pain.

"Such a pleasant sound," Dawn smiled as she listened to the screams.

 **Wayward Sons #19**

 **"Graceland, Part One"**

 _Mike's Roadhouse_

Asher was sitting on his bed, staring out of the window into the open field where his life had been destroyed by werewolves just days earlier. He was still touching the wedding ring on his finger as a knock came at the door. Connor walked in with a tray of food and set it down in front of him, feeling sorry for the young man.

"You gotta eat," Connor told him as Asher remained fixated on the field. Connor took a seat on the bed, looking for the right words. "Look, they told me what happened to your husband and... I'm sorry. It sucks losing someone you love. I lost my entire family to vampires, then got turned into one. Now I'm on an all blood diet and have to live on animal blood to survive. But you know, put a few herbs and spices into it and it's not that bad."

Asher's gaze remained outside as Connor looked out the window to see the open field. "Maybe Jesse's right, you should get away from this place for a few days."

"Do you believe in Heaven?" Asher said in barely a whisper as Connor had to do a double-take.

"Did you just-? Yeah, I guess, not that I expect to get there,"

"The Reaper said Mason would be waiting for me, but it hurts having to wait to be with him. It physically hurts. I want to die, Connor, but I can't kill myself."

"And you're telling me this because..."

"I want you to kill me,"

* * *

"Come on, Alfie, you've been saying you wanted to be an angel again," Jesse said as he stood outside of the bathroom door. He was propping himself up against the wall, still trying to regain his strength from the previous evening when he'd teleported himself, Alfie and Connor to the roadhouse. He hadn't told his friends, but ever since he'd been depowered, he'd started feeling weaker every time he pushed his powers. "Now's your chance, while Ben and Adam aren't here to treat us like babies!"

"AH! I got shampoo in my eyes!" Alfie said from the shower. "Johnson & Johnson have deceived me!"

"Alfie, you can be an angel again. And with everything Gabriel told me, you'd be one of the few angels whose wings aren't broken. You'd be superior to most of your brothers and sisters."

Alfie opened the door and stared at him. "I do not wish to be superior. But I would like to be more useful to our friends."

"Then put some pants on and let's get going! Seriously, put some pants on, no one wants to stare at little Alf-," Jesse looked down, then looked up. Then down, and back up. This continued for several seconds. "What THE HELL have you been eating?"

* * *

Mike and Ben arrived just outside of Lawrence, Kansas, stopping just short of a large 'Road Closed' sign that was blocking the street. Ben jumped out of the passenger side and looked at the sign.

"Road closed? It's the only damn road into the town!" Ben said. "Something's not right he- Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Mike asked.

"I'm hearing a voice, it feels like it's coming from inside my head," Ben told him. "It's saying to ignore the sign."

"Are you feeling okay?" Mike asked as he got out of the truck. "Are you sure you're just not going crazy? People usually shouldn't listen to out of the blue voices in their head."

"Load up with whatever you can carry, we're walking from here," Ben said as he looked ahead. "I think something's screwy with this town, and we're going to find out what."

* * *

"Got food packed?"

"Check!"

"Cell phones charged?"

"Check!"

"Asher dressed and ready to roll?"

"Check!"

"Sunscreen for Connor?"

"Check!"

"What form of payment are we using for our diner bill?"

"Cash!"

"Alright, boys," Jesse said as he looked at Alfie, Connor, and Asher sitting on the couch. "Let's go!"

Connor raised his hand. "Where are we going?"

Jesse opened his mouth to speak but came up with nothing. "Damn, I knew we forgot something. Alfie, you want to take over?"

"Well, Joshua was pretty vague about where to begin the search. Perhaps we should start with him."

"To Joshua!" Jesse said as he leaned in close to Alfie and whispered. "Where's Joshua?"

* * *

 _Oasis Plains, Oklahoma_

The elderly black man was tending to his greenhouse, enjoying the peace and quiet. The angel who was now in possession of the body loved gardening and considered it one of the greatest joys that mankind had to offer. As he watered the plants, Joshua felt a slight breeze behind him.

"Samandriel, welcome," Joshua said without turning around. "And I see you've brought friends," Joshua turned around and looked at Jesse. "The Anti-Christ."

"Why does everyone always say that like it's a bad thing?" Jesse asked as he fell back into a seat, now feeling dizzy. "Oh, look, there's the Anti-Christ, he's probably going to kill us and light fire to our kittens. I happen to like kittens, thank you very much! Little bundles of warm fur, I could just hug them all day. Where was I going with this?"

"Are you okay?" Connor asked.

"Yeah, just a little winded, teleporting three other people takes a lot out of me. I'm not a young Anti-Christ anymore, you know. When Lucifer got canned, he took most of my powers with him."

"I need to know where to locate my lost grace, it's time that I became an angel again," Alfie told Joshua.

"You have come a long way, Samandriel," Joshua told him. "You have made many new friends and learned a lot about what it is to be human. But your grace will not be easy to obtain. There is one who will stand in your way."

"So, a guard dog is guarding Alfie's grace? We'll just toss him a bone and slip on past," Jesse said.

"It is an angel," Joshua told them. "One who was on Earth when the fall happened. One of the few angels left who is still at full strength."

"My brother will surely listen to reason," Alfie said.

"It's Todreel,"

"... F***," Alfie said in a low whisper.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" Connor asked.

"Alfie never swears, this must be bad," Jesse replied. "Who's Todreel?"

"Todreel was... my best friend," Alfie told him. "We were cupids together. But while God himself reassigned me to angel status, Todreel was promoted by... Lucifer, just before his fall. Me and my beloved brother ended up on opposite sides of the war. When Lucifer and his followers fell, the only thing that kept Todreel from being banished alongside them was the fact that I had tricked Todreel into a private battle, and entombed him until he calmed down."

"How long did you entomb him?" Jesse asked.

"... A few centuries,"

"Did he calm down after you let him out?"

"He tried to behead me, but at least he wasn't banished to Hell," Alfie sighed. "We kind of stopped being friends after that. Todreel was one of the main angels that pushed for the apocalypse because it meant that Lucifer would walk free. But when Lucifer finally was released, no one had heard from Todreel. It was like he was off of angel radar. No one could locate him."

"And I'll bet you know why," Connor said as he looked at Joshua.

"It was a top secret mission from Raphael," Joshua told them. "He was to collect all of the lost grace on Earth so it couldn't be used by rogue angels. And when the fall happened..."

"Thousands of angels lost their grace, he must still be out there, collecting it," Alfie realized. "So Todreel has my lost grace. I find Todreel..."

"We find your wings," Jesse said. "Then what are we waiting for? I'm sure this guy's calmed down by now."

"You need to rest for a while," Connor told him. "I think all this teleporting is too much strain on you."

"I'll be fine," Jesse said as he tried to stand up, but fell back into the chair. "I meant to do that."

Asher looked around them, realizing that the bags they were holding weren't there. "Weren't we holding bags when we came?"

"Yeah, and," Connor asked as he raised his pant leg. "I could have sworn I was wearing socks a few minutes ago. You don't think that Jesse's powers are-"

"Weakening to the point where he's not able to teleport us all in one piece?" Asher asked. "Maybe you should rest a while, Jesse. Jesse?"

Jesse's head was tilted down, having passed out in the chair. A small trail of blood was running down from his nose, dripping onto his shirt.

* * *

The head of the demon who was trying to locate the legendary grace collection flew off of his body, landing in the grass. The possessed form of 10-year-old Todd Grantham watched the body collapse as he picked up the head.

"Demon filth," Todreel said as he drop-kicked the head as far as his young angel legs could kick it.

On the other side of the forest, the head landed at the feet of the half-demigod Prometheus, who was passing through the area. Having returned to Earth after having been kidnapped by Ares, the God of War, the now aged Oliver had decided he needed to use the abilities he'd inherited from his father, the original Prometheus, to help those in need. He hated having to leave his mother, but now that looked no older than 19, the young man knew what he had to do with his life.

Prometheus headed into the forest and found the boy disposing of the demon's body. The demigod pulled out his sword, looking at Todreel.

"Murderer!" Prometheus shouted. "Prepare to taste the justice of my blade!"

Todreel just snorted and started laughing wildly.

"What's so funny?"

"You are, you stupid dick! This guy wasn't just some innocent soul, he was a demon, and I put an end to him."

"You're just a kid, why are you killing... anything?" Prometheus asked.

"I'm not a kid, I am an angel of the Lord, you may call me Todreel!"

"Well, Todreel, playtime's over. Let's get you back to your parents and-"

Thunder and lighting were heard around the forest as Todreel's large black wings were illuminated around him before the light returned.

"Okay, so you're an angel," Prometheus said. "This just got a lot more interesting."

"Nice sword," Todreel told him as he pulled out his angel blade. "You have three seconds to leave my forest before I make you sit on it."

"You can't sit on a- Ohhh, I see what you did there," Prometheus told him. "Alright, you want to fight? Let's do this."

* * *

"The road wasn't damaged, or even under construction," Ben said as he arrived in town with Mike. "Something screwy is definitely going on here. We'd better keep a low profile until we-"

"Ben, you notice anything strange going on?" Mike asked as he looked around the corner. "Look at all the people."

Everyone on the street was going from one building to the next. No one was smiling, no one was saying 'hi' or stopping to talk to anyone. No one was holding the door open for anyone else, and even the kids that were with their parents were oddly silent with blank expressions on their faces.

"Yeah, it's quiet and... no one's really acknowledging each other," Ben said as he looked at everyone. "It's like a Sims game where everyone's just doing what they're pre-programmed to do. Like mindless puppets going from one thing to the next."

"You think this demon has anything to do with it?" Mike asked.

"Or my name isn't Benjamin Jensen Braeden," Ben said as he pulled out the demon knife. "I say we do some recon, find out where Dawn is, and go from there. We've still got the element of surprise here."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Dawn said from behind them. Ben quickly turned around as Dawn used her powers to knock the knife from Ben's hand. "Oh, little Ben, I'm not here for a fight. If I was, you'd already be dead."

"I came for my uncle's soul," Ben told her. "I'm not letting you kill Adam."

"Who said anything about killing Adam?" Dawn asked. "No, no, no, my dear Benji. There is much, much more."

"Only my mom calls me Benji, you demon whore," Ben said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, right, your missing mommy," Dawn said with a devious smirk. "Perhaps I'll arrange a reunion for the two of you after I'm done in this town."

"She's lying, Ben, she doesn't know anything about your mom," Mike said.

"Oh, but I do, and I know another missing relative of yours," Dawn said as she stepped aside. In the shadows, a pair of pure black eyes opened. "I want you to meet your cousin. Of course, he hasn't been formally named, but we'll leave that up to Lucifer. Meet Adam's son."

"Adam's son?" Ben and Mike asked as the nameless boy stepped out of the shadows, dressed in black. Both young hunters immediately fell to their knees upon looking at the boy.

"Two hunters down," Dawn said. "And one of them is of Winchester blood. Good work, boy."

The boy remained silent as Dawn patted his head, now in the service of Dawn and her plans for his family.

* * *

Elsewhere in the town, Missouri Moseley was comatose, her psychic energy being used to keep the town hidden from further intruders, and to pull in the ones that Dawn wanted to come in. Except for Ben, whose capture was the key to bringing the one person to town who could stop this madness...

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	26. Graceland, Part 2

_Several Weeks Earlier_

The hunter Walt was being carried out on a stretcher as the police investigated the cabin where he'd been found. The headless body of the other man in the cabin had yet to be identified, while Walt was being taken to the hospital for severe dehydration.

Then there was the third body, a woman who had been shot to death. It would look like an open and shut murder case to any other officer, but not to Detective Jackie Henriksen.

"So, we ready to call it a day?" an officer said as Henriksen kneeled down and looked at a half foot-print in the sawdust on the floor next to the dresser. Someone had been walking barefoot on the floor, and the size of the print was too small for either of the two men or the dead woman to make.

"There was a child here," Henriksen said as she stood up and walked toward the cellar, opening the door and shining a flashlight down, seeing a few scattered toys and empty cereal boxes. "This just turned into a missing persons case."

 **Wayward Sons #20**

 **"Graceland, Part Two"**

 _Today_

Jesse opened his eyes and sat up in a strange bed. He was still tired, and his body was feeling sore. It was a feeling he hadn't felt since he was a young child and had the flu in a time before he'd developed his powers.

"Where am I?"

"We're still at Joshua's," Alfie told him as he sat in a chair next to the bed. "You passed out."

"I guess teleporting took more out of me than I thought," Jesse said as he planted his stocking feet on the floor. "Let's get the guys and get going."

"No," Alfie told him. "It's too much strain on you, we'll find a car and drive the rest of the way."

"And who's going to drive us? The vampire, the depressed kid who's too heart broken to focus, or the angel with the learner's permit?"

"I think the permit might have expired by now,"

"I can do this, Alfie, I can get us there," Jesse told him. "just need to get some caffeine in me or something."

"Jesse, I don't think it's wise to strain yourself, you could do permanent damage to your body," Alfie said as he put an arm around his friend's shoulder. "Why are you so willing to risk your life to make me an angel again?"

"Because... you're my best friend," Jesse told him. "I've never had a friend before. It's always just been me and Uncle Gabriel, and even before that, all the kids thought I was a freak. You're the first person who likes me for who I am, not what I can do."

"I want you to take it easy, okay?" Alfie said as he hugged Jesse. "If I get to be an angel again, great, but it's not worth you dying."

"Hey, I sat through the Jem & The Holograms movie without killing myself, I'm pretty sure I can teleport four people to Kansas," Jesse said as he fell forward onto the ground. "Are we there yet?"

* * *

"So, have you thought about it?" Asher asked as he walked through the greenhouse with Connor.

"I'm not killing you, Asher," Connor told him. "I don't drink human blood. I may be a monster, but that doesn't mean I'm going to act like one."

"Then I'll find someone else who'll do it," Asher told him as he turned away. "I don't need you."

"I get it, this guy was important to you, but is he really worth dying for?"

"He was my entire world, we were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together. We were going to save the world as a team."

"Then why don't you spend the rest of your life doing what he would have wanted? Which I'm pretty sure is to live your life and help people. You're a hunter, Asher. Man up and stop feeling sorry for yourself. I'm sorry, but Mason's gone, and even though I didn't know him, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to see you like this. If you really love him as much as you say you do, then start acting like the guy he wanted to be with and stop acting like a little bitch," Connor said as he walked away.

* * *

"The son of Dean Winchester, under my control," Dawn said as she looked at Ben and Mike, who were now under the influence of the new Anti-Christ, who just happened to be Adam's son*.

(*See Wayward Sons #12)

"Soon I'll have Adam, and then Sam and Dean not too long after that. The entire Winchester family, leading Lucifer's army to victory," Dawn smiled as she patted the nameless boy's head. "Take my new toys and make sure they stay out of trouble."

Ben and Mike started following the boy as Dawn frowned a little. "Oh, Missouri, you've been a naughty girl. Did you really think that Ben Braeden could have saved this town? No one can stop me now that I've got Azazel's little package."

* * *

Prometheus flew back into a tree, causing it crack as he tried to stand up. He got to his feet just in time for Todreel to fly at him with his angel blade drawn. Prometheus held up his sword to block as the demigod head-butted the angel, sending him flying back. Todreel caught himself as his sneakers slid along the dirt, stopping himself as he just smirked at his opponent.

"You're pretty good," Todreel said.

"You're not bad yourself," Prometheus told him. "Maybe in another life, we could have been friends."

"The last friend I had left me trapped in a cave for two thousand years," Todreel told him.

"I spent a thousand years chained to a mountain top,"

"Sounds like we've got a lot in common,"

"Yeah, it does,"

The two just stared each other down as the angel and the demigod once again charged at each other with their weapons drawn.

* * *

"I don't get it," Lucas said as he stood inside the jail cell. "Why is she keeping us alive? It's not like we're of any use to her."

"We're the only two people in town, hell, maybe the world itself that are immune to the kid's powers," Ritchie told him. "I have... some kind of connection to him, I can feel it. I don't know what it is, but I kind of feel like, I don't know, I know him somehow."

"Maybe she needs you, but what about me?" Lucas asked. "I have nothing to do with her and her little hellspawn."

"She might not know about that necklace Missouri gave to you before that kid showed up," Ritchie told him. "I think it's protecting you from that little mind screw he's doing on everyone."

"Still doesn't explain why hasn't just killed me, I'm not a psychic, I'm just the local law enforcement," Lucas said as he saw the keys to the cell sitting on the desk across the room. "While we're locked up here, she's probably got the entire town under her control by now. We need to get those keys."

* * *

"I think I'm good to go," Jesse said as he was finally able to stand under his own power. "Who's up to get some grace?"

"Is he really safe to travel?" Alfie asked as he looked at Joshua.

"Without Lucifer on Earth to power him, Jesse is over-exerting his powers," Joshua told him. "If he pushes himself too far, he could die."

"Come on, one teleport, then I'll rest up for however long I have to," Jesse told them. "We'll call Ben or Adam to come give us a lift home, or hell, if we manage to get Alfie his mojo back, he can get us home. This'll be the last time for a while."

"Fine," Alfie said as he saw Connor and Asher coming back to the house. "This is the last trip, Jesse. Thank you, Joshua, you've been a great help to me."

"Good luck, Samandriel," Joshua said. "I hope that the next time I see you, you will be your old self."

"Okay, let's do this," Alfie said as he looked at Jesse.

Jesse took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as the four disappeared. Joshua looked at the floor, seeing two shirts, two pairs of pants, a pair of boxer shorts and two pairs of shoes had been left behind.

"Oh my,"

* * *

As they arrived just outside of Lawrence, Connor realized he was missing his pants and underwear; Asher's shirt and shoes were gone; Alfie's shirt was gone, and Jesse's pants and shoes had been left behind.

"What. The. Hell?" Connor asked as he looked at Jesse, whose nose was now bleeding as he fell back against the sign that said 'Welcome to Lawrence'. Connor tried pulling his shirt down to cover himself.

"I must not have had the juice to get us all here in one piece," Jesse said weakly. "But at least it was just our clothes and not our body parts."

Asher quickly looked down his pants, breathing a sigh of relief. Before anyone could say anything else, Jesse threw up blood all over the road before falling to his knees.

"That does it," Alfie said as he put an arm around Jesse. "Help me walk him into town. We'll get a motel room so he can rest for a while. Then we'll go find my grace and stay here for a few days while he recovers."

"What if... he doesn't recover?" Asher asked.

"He has to, he's done all of this to help me," Alfie said. "If I can get my grace back, I can at least heal him, but he has to hang on."

* * *

"Almost got it," Lucas said, pressing himself against the bars. He'd torn his outer shirt into strips to make a rope, then tying one end to his shoe to try to get the keys from the desk. Ritchie was sitting on the cot with head leaned back against the wall.

"This is hopeless, you're never going to get the keys," Ritchie told him.

"I'm getting us out of here," Lucas told him as he tried aiming again. "I'm not dying in this cell."

As he heard the door opening, Lucas pulled the rope back before the nameless boy entered the room.

"Kid, why are you following that demon's orders?" Ritchie asked as he ran to the bars. "You seemed... I don't know, not so evil before."

"Yeah, well this is the new me," Ritchie told him as he headed for the desk and sat down. "And she wants a file she made of someone named Ben."

Lucas titled his head, seeing the file plainly in sight right in front of the boy. Ritchie saw it too as the boy looked around, lost.

"You can't read, can you?" Ritchie asked.

"Shutup," the boy said, getting angry.

"Kid, there's nothing to be ashamed of, maybe I can help you-"

"I SAID SHUTUP!" the boy shouted as Ritchie flew back against the wall. The boy just grabbed all of the files and ran out of the room. Ritchie fell onto his stomach as Lucas helped him up. As he got Ritchie to his feet, Lucas realized that the psychic blast that he'd hit Ritchie with had broken the lock on the cell door.

* * *

"Do you guys notice anything weird in this town?" Asher asked they carried Jesse down the street.

"Yeah, no one's even batting an eye at the three half-naked guys toting their blood-covered friend down the street," Connor realized as he saw all of the people walking around. He'd taken off his shirt and wrapped it around his waist to cover his lower half.

"That's the least of our worries at the moment," Alfie told them. "First we need to get Jesse to a place where he can rest safely. Then we'll find some new clothes and find Todreel. Once I get my grace back, I'll heal Jesse and we can call Adam for a ride home."

"What if- what if Jesse dies before we get back?" Connor asked. "What if we die?"

"I can not force you to go with me on this," Alfie said. "If I must, I'll go alone and you two can watch over Jesse. I hope I can make it back in time to save him. But as long as he doesn't use his powers until I return, he should be okay."

"Stop talking about me like I can't hear you," Jesse told him, not even having the strength to lift his head. "I'm not dead yet."

"What the-," Asher said as he saw Mike and Ben walking down the street. "Mike? MIKE, OVER HERE!"

Asher ran toward his brother, hugging him. "I'm sorry we took off, but we really needed to- Mike? Is something wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Connor ran up behind him, after having helped Alfie sit him on a park bench. He snapped his fingers in front of Ben's face.

"They're in some kind of trance," Connor said. "This is getting really weird, guys, didn't they say they were going to find that demon that had Adam's contract?"

"And they did find me," Dawn said as she appeared behind them. "And they loved what they found so much that they decided to stay."

With one flick of her wrist, Connor and Asher were flung back against the wall. Alfie pulled out his angel blade as the town sheriff pulled out his taser and hit Alfie in the side, forcing him to the ground.

"My followers will do anything to protect me," Dawn said as she kicked Alfie in the face. "Another hunter, a former angel, ew, a vampire, and... the original Anti-Christ? One that's not in a good shape from the look of him."

"What did you do to my brother?" Asher asked.

"I showed him the light," Dawn said as she frowned at Connor. " Vampire filth. I don't think my new and improved Anti-Christ's charms will work on you, but perhaps I can find other uses for you."

Jesse was trying to pick himself up off of the bench as Dawn turned her attention toward him. She motioned her followers to grab him as Jesse found that he could barely stand up.

"I don't need him as long as I have the new, improved model," Dawn said. "Kill him."

"Not today," Jesse said as he tried not to fall over. "I'll be back for my friends."

Before anyone could lay a hand on him, a pile of clothes fell to the ground with Jesse nowhere in sight.

"Damn," Dawn said.

"At least he got away," Asher said.

"No, he didn't," Connor whispered. "He's bound to Alfie, he can't go more than a few miles. He's still here somewhere, and... he just used his powers. If he's not dead, then he's going to be too weak to even move."

* * *

Outside of the city, Todreel and Prometheus were still sparring, neither one getting tired. Even after several hours of battle, the two were still trying to outmatch the other.

"You look like you're getting winded," Todreel said. "Maybe you should concede."

"I spent a thousand years sitting in one place, this little scuffle is nothing," Prometheus told him as they continued clashing their blades. As they continued the fight, a sudden gust of wind and the sound of leaves rustling was heard not too far away.

As the two opponents turned their attention to the sound of the noise, where they found Jesse laying naked in the grass, face down and barely alive.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	27. Graceland, Part 3

_Several Weeks Earlier_

The hunter Walt had been taken to the hospital for severe dehydration after being found in the old cabin, where Walt and his now deceased partner Roy had killed a Succubus that had been feeding off of the local town. When he had been taken away in the ambulance, Walt had still been under the influence of the boy who had appeared out of nowhere. The boy who had told Walt to blow his partner Roy's head clean off with a shotgun blast.

But as Walt was taken to the hospital to be treated, the dehydration mixed with the various drugs he'd been given to keep him alive had somehow broken the boy's hold over him. Several days later, Walt quickly shot up in the hospital bed, looking around and quickly realizing what needed to be done.

"I have a monster to kill,"

 **Wayward Sons #21**

 **"Graceland, Part Three"**

 _Now_

In the woods just outside of Lawrence Kansas, the continuing battle between the angel Todreel and the demigod Prometheus had come to a standstill thanks to the intrusion of the unconscious newcomer laying in the grass not too far away. Jesse had managed to teleport himself, sans clothes, as far away as his link to Alfie could take him. The escape had taken almost all of his energy and had pushed him even closer to the brink of death.

"Huh, didn't see that coming," Prometheus said as he stared down at Jesse. "Wonder where he came from?"

"He's got demon in him, I can smell it," Todreel said as he held his blade up. "I'll send him back to Hell!"

"Whoa!" Prometheus shouted as he grabbed the angel's arm. "He's unconscious and doesn't look all that threatening."

"He's a demon, he needs to die!" Todreel shouted as Prometheus pushed him back to the ground.

"I think he's only part demon, I can feel something human about him," Prometheus said as he checked Jesse's pulse. "Evil or not, he needs help. I'm taking him to get some medical attention."

Todreel got to his feet as he watched Prometheus pick Jesse up. "The nearest town is miles away. I- I can heal him, I think. At least the human part of him, if there is one. We'll take him back to my dwelling."

"And why all of a sudden are you interested in helping him?"

"Because," Todreel sighed. "I... don't want you to leave. It's been years since I've come across someone who can give me a worthy challenge. I kind of like having someone around to spar with."

"First we help him," Prometheus said as he followed the angel back to his home.

* * *

In the town of Lawrence, the disciple of the demon Azazel was continuing her plan of conquest. Dawn watched as her darling Anti-Christ enchanted her newest captives, a former angel, and a young hunter. Alfie and Asher were on their knees, while the vampire Connor stood behind them, being held by Mike and Ben. Connor could break the chains and fight his way out easily, but he didn't want to hurt his friends. And with the strength of a vampire, he could easily escape, but possibly at the cost of injury to the only friends he'd ever known.

"Looks like I was right, the vampire's not affected by my little soldier," Dawn said as she patted the nameless boy's head. "But maybe we can find another use for him. Maybe with some proper training, I can turn him into a bloodhound to track down the one that got away."

"Jesse didn't get far," Alfie told her as he remained focused on the boy. "We are linked, he can't go more than a few miles without me."

"Then that means he's still in town, or at least in the woods," Dawn said as a smile crossed her face. "I'll send out a search party to bring the little runt back. In the meantime, take the vampire and make sure he doesn't escape. His training begins shortly."

* * *

"Come on, guys, snap out of it," Connor said as he was led to the police station by Ben and Mike. "You're under some kind of spell."

"Shut up before Dawn has your head chopped off," Mike told him as they saw the jail cell standing wide open. "Aw, crap, the other two got away."

"Yeah, and guess what?" Connor asked as he broke his chains before turning to face the two hunters.

"... What?" Ben asked after a brief pause.

* * *

Ritchie and Lucas were already far away, headed towards the woods outside of town.

"I don't like this," Lucas said. "We just can't abandon the town."

"We need to find help," Ritchie told him. "We can't take on that demon by ourselves. We need someone like, I don't know-"

"Those guys who saved me when I was a kid," Lucas said as he stopped. "What were their names? Sean and... Dan? If we can find them, they can help."

"But first we need to get out of here," Ritchie said as he looked back at the town. "It's just- that kid, I hate leaving him in her hands."

"That kid's evil," Lucas reminded him.

"No, he's not. There's... something about him that I can't quite put my finger on, but I know he's good. My psychic energy could feel it in his mind. He wants to do right."

* * *

The nameless boy was walking down the street, passing by an electronics store with t.v.s playing in the window. He stopped and looked up, seeing a news report about the last town he had lived in before coming to Lawrence.

"This was the scene earlier today as EMT crews and paramedics came en masse to the town of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, where the entire town had committed suicide,"

"What?" the boy asked as he got closer to the t.v. "No."

"Everything from jumping off of buildings, shootings, poisonings, hangings and everything in between had been tried by everyone in the town. One of the few survivors, when questioned, said that when a little boy that the town had come to love mysteriously vanished, everyone had given up on life and wanted to die," the reporter said. "Authorities are now trying to find the child to question him."

"No," the boy whispered as a tear fell down his face. "I caused this?"

* * *

Ben and Mike woke up in the jail cell after Connor had knocked them unconscious. As Ben sat up, he realized he was wearing nothing but his underwear.

"Son of a bitch stole my clothes!"

"Come on, we have to tell Dawn," Mike said as he tried to open the cell. "Damn."

* * *

Connor was hiding in an alley, wearing Ben's clothes and tugging at his shirt collar, realizing just how much smaller Ben was.

"I have to find Jesse," Connor said to himself as he made sure the coast was clear before running out.

* * *

Jesse was in a makeshift bed, with a blanket covering him as he lay in a small cavern. Todreel and Prometheus were watching over him as Todreel put his palm on Jesse's chest.

"I'm able to heal his human side," Todreel said. "But his demon half I can't do anything about, and that's the part of him that's destroying his body to begin with."

"Will he live, though?" Prometheus asked.

"For a while, at least," Todreel told him as Jesse started moaning. "The demon side of him will ultimately destroy this guy from the inside out."

"Where am I?" Jesse asked, his eyes remaining closed.

"The woods outside of Lawrence," Prometheus said as he sat down to the Anti-Christ. "Do you remember how you got out here?"

"My friends were captured," Jesse said in a low whisper. "A demon took them. She's taken over the whole town."

A smirk crossed Todreel's face as he stood up. "A demon in the city? Looks like I've just filled up my afternoon."

"Hold it, cowboy," Prometheus told him as he grabbed Todreel's arm. "I want to know more about this demon, and what kind of fight we're headed into. We're not walking into this blind."

"Aw, but that's the fun way!" Todreel said as he slouched back into his chair.

* * *

"I want this boy found!" Dawn shouted to the townspeople as she held up a picture of Jesse from the security cam. "He can't go beyond the forest, and I want everyone searching for him! No one returns until he is found!"

Dawn pointed to Asher and Alfie. "You two will lead the hunt."

* * *

 _Windom, Minnesota_

"Come on, Ben, pick up," Adam said, his voice shaking as he left another voice message. He'd been trying to get ahold of anyone, but none of his friends were answering their phones.

Ben's phone was sitting on the dashboard of Mike's truck just outside of the city limits.

 _"It's your dime, spill it at the tone-"_

"DAMMIT!" Adam shouted in frustration as he tossed the phone against a wall, shattering it. Grabbing his boots, jacket and car keys, Adam headed out to the cherry red impala in the driveway and drove off as fast as he could.

* * *

The nameless boy walked into the police station and found Ben and Mike in the jail cell. Both immediately dropped to their knees as soon as they saw him.

"You have to do what I say, don't you?" the boy asked.

"Yes, sir," Ben said.

"And you don't take orders from Dawn?"

"Only if the orders come from you to do what she says," Mike told him.

"Stand up," the boy said as he found the keys to unlock the cell. "Am- am I evil? Be honest."

"No, sir," Ben said as the boy handed him a blanket to cover himself.

"I don't want to be evil," the boy said as he stared down at the ground. "I need you guys to do something for me."

* * *

"This is taking too long," Dawn said as she paced around. "They should have hauled that brat back to town by now. I may need reinforcements on this one."

* * *

"Are you sure this is wise?" Prometheus asked as he walked through the woods with Todreel.

"No, but it'll be fun taking out a town of demons," the angel said. "You heard what Jesse said."

"He was half-conscious and probably still dying," the demigod sighed. "I'm not sure if-"

The rustling of leaves being stomped on was heard as the two drew their weapons in ready for a fight. Seconds later, Lucas and Ritchie were in sight.

"Are they demons?" Prometheus asked.

"No, they're human, but there's something strange about the smaller one," Todreel told him.

"Great, friends of Dawn I presume?" Lucas asked he pulled out his gun.

"This Dawn is no friend of ours," Todreel told them. "As a matter of fact, we were on our way to slay this demon that's taken over your town."

"Be our guest," Ritchie told them. "The entire town is under her control. She's got a kid with her who can make anyone obey him."

"Then why aren't you two under his control?" Todreel asked.

"Not sure," Lucas told them. "But we were on our way to find some help."

"Well, now you've got it," Prometheus said. "My friend's cavern is a half-mile that way. There's another boy there, recovering. If you'd be so kind as to watch over him until we return."

"No, we're going back with you, maybe between the four of us, we can-," Lucas started to say as a gunshot rang out. "Now what?"

The townspeople were combing the woods for Jesse, with Alfie and Asher leading them in the search. The current sheriff thought he saw something and fired off his gun, alerting Todreel and his group.

"It's like the entire town is here!" Lucas said.

"Probably searching for that kid back at the cavern," Todreel said as he pulled out his angel blade. "I can handle these guys."

"NO!" Ritchie said. "Don't kill them, they're innocent! They're just under a spell!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Prometheus asked.

"Go back to the cave to Jesse," Todreel told them. "If worse comes to worse, run."

"And what are you going to do?" Lucas asked.

"Hold them off," Todreel said as he pulled out his angel blade before looking at Prometheus. "I won't kill anyone, okay? I'll just scare them into running back to town."

The others hesitated for a second before running back to the cave. Todreel just stared at the coming mob and got ready to attack, when he noticed who was leading them. Even in a human vessel, the young angel could tell who it was.

"Samandriel?"

"Todreel?" Alfie asked. "Is that you? You look so... young."

Todreel just laughed. "And you look so... DEAD," the angel said as he flew at Alfie with his angel blade ready.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	28. Graceland, Part 4

As Jesse lay in the bed in Todreel's makeshift home, the young man drifted in and out of consciousness. His demon powers had been pushed to the limit, and without Lucifer's influence in the world to power him, Jesse was now dying. As it stood, even with the angel Todreel's ability to heal, Jesse only had less than two hours left to live. The Anti-Christ moaned while tossing and turning, his demonic side slowly destroying his body. The pain was unbearable and felt like his insides were melting.

It wasn't long before Jesse had fallen back into unconsciousness from the pain, this time finding himself standing in the middle of what looked like a smoking wasteland. There was decay, ruin, and skeletons everywhere, of human, angels, and demons. There was barely any color, as everything looked gray.

"This is new," Jesse said as he looked around, not even caring that he was still naked. At least no one was around to see him like this.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"Who's there?" Jesse asked as he quickly covered his lower region with both hands as he tried to see through the smoke.

A figure started coming through the dense smoke, the first thing being noticeable were his glowing red eyes.

"Hello, Jesse," Lucifer said with a devilish grin. The man spoke in a calming tone as he came into full view. "It's so good to finally meet the boy I've heard so much about. We have a lot to discuss."

 **Wayward Sons #22**

 **"Graceland, Part Four"**

"Die, traitor!" Todreel shouted as he flew toward Alfie with his angel blade drawn. Just as he was mere inches from the former angel, Connor tackled Todreel to the ground.

"Vampire scum!" Todreel shouted as he backhanded Connor, sending him flying back and crashing the vampire into a tree, where the teenager made an imprint in the wood. Todreel stood up, grabbing his angel blade.

"Todreel," Alfie said. "It's been a while."

"You betrayed me. You locked me away, destroyed my chances to be loyal to Lucifer."

"Lucifer is evil, he would destroy you the second you were of no use to him."

"Better the devil himself than the father who abandoned his children."

"Ooh, someone's got daddy issues," Asher said with a slight laugh.

"God had his reasons for leaving," Alfie told Todreel. "I believe he still loves us. All of us. Just as you once loved me."

"Don't," Todreel said angrily as he held his blade out. "Don't you dare speak of what we shared."

Connor was holding his sore back as he walked toward them, looking between the two. "Uhhh... is there more to this story than what we were told, Alfie?"

"Go ahead, Samandriel, tell them of the forbidden love we shared," Todreel said bitterly as Asher held up a finger to try to take this all in.

"Alfie... what the &#* ?"

"Yeah, dude," Connor said as he tried to understand what was going on. "I thought you were straight."

"Angels do not possess human traits such as gender, or genitals," Alfie explained. "Only when we possess human vessels do we obtain such things. Todreel and I were... lovers in Heaven when I was a cupid and he was serving under Raphael. It was forbidden for any angel to be in such a relationship, so we kept it hidden for centuries."

"Then the whole Lucifer thing messed everything up," Asher realized.

"Yes, Todreel broke what I guess you'd call my heart by siding with Lucifer. I was afraid he'd be banished to Hell, or worse, killed for treason, so I made sure he wasn't around when Lucifer was banished. It was one of my first act when God promoted me from cupid to angel."

"I broke _your_ heart?" Todreel asked bitterly. "We could have served under Lucifer together, Samandriel. We could have been free to openly express our love instead of hiding from everyone. But you decided you were too good to leave Heaven."

"I had just been promoted to being an angel," Alfie said. "While Todreel had been locked away, Lucifer had gone too far and created the first demon, spreading his evil on Earth, resulting in his being locked in the Cage until a few years ago."

"Lucifer was misunderstood," Todreel said. "He created demons out of loneliness because of the father who wouldn't love him."

"Asher, go, continue your search for Jesse," Alfie told him. "I must talk to Todreel, perhaps I can reach him."

"Reach this," Todreel said as he backhanded Alfie, sending him flying back several dozen feet. As he flew past Asher, the young hunter was knocked unconscious, falling behind a tree.

* * *

"Lucifer," Jesse whispered in fear as he tried to back away, but fell backward as he tripped on a skull, falling onto his back. The young Anti-Christ tried to crawl backward, but he was up against a large rock.

"Jesse, you don't need to fear me," Lucifer said softly as he walked calmly toward the young man. "I want to be your friend. I know you're dying, and I want to save you."

"You were going to have me destroy everything in Heaven," Jesse said, not wanting to die like this.

"You must be so cold like this," Lucifer said as he kneeled down to look at Jesse. He waved his hand, giving Jesse a pair of boots, blue jeans, and a t-shirt. "You think I care about the angels? Destroying Heaven is so... beneath me. Trust me, I could care less what those beaurocratic douchebags do. They can't do anything to me, they're ants, meaningless in the grand scheme."

"Then what did you want with me when I was little?"

"I wanted to give a lonely child a home," Lucifer said. "I wanted to teach a frightened little boy how to use those powers, and maybe even one day he'd call me 'Dad' and we'd be a family. But then you just vanished off of the face of the Earth. I sent everyone I could to find you. Where did you go?"

"I- I hid in a pocket universe," Jesse whispered as he stared down. Lucifer just put his hand under the young man's chin to raise his head and stare into his eyes.

"Poor little lost boy," Lucifer said as he placed his hand on Jesse's chest. "You don't have long to live, and I can only do so much for you while I'm trapped in this... place. But there is one chance for you."

"What's that?"

Lucifer just smiled at him, whispering into Jesse's ear what he needed to do to save his life. "I can give you a temporary power boost to do what you need to do, but you'll only have 30 minutes when you wake up. When that half hour runs out, you will die."

"And I suppose you want a favor in return?"

"It'll take time for you to become healthy again, all I ask is that once you're back to full strength, just open the door for me. Can you do that, Jesse? Can you open the door so I can come home? So that I can get to know you?"

* * *

"The time is near," Dawn said. "Once the Anti-Christ is found and killed, I can take this show on the road. We'll go from town to town, putting everyone under my power."

The nameless boy just stood nearby, staring down at the ground.

"And what's wrong with you?"

"I don't want to do this anymore," the boy said in a low whisper.

"Excuse me?" Dawn asked as she slammed the boy against the wall. "Looks like my reprogramming didn't take. Maybe I'll just have to dig deeper into that head of yours to get you to play the game."

"I don't want to hurt anyone," the boy pleaded with tears in his eyes. "People get sad when I leave them. They try to hurt themselves."

"You listen to me, brat, I own you now," Dawn told him. "You are mine to command, and I say we're not going to stop until everyone on Earth is under Lucifer's command. You're going to make him very happy, and you will be rewarded greatly for serving him. So shut up and do as you're told."

* * *

"Do you think that kid is really Adam's son?" Mike asked as he waited for Ben to come out of the bathroom with the clothes he'd picked out.

"No way, Adam's only ever slept with one girl from what he told me," Ben said as he stepped out of the bathroom in a new outfit, his other clothes having been stolen by Connor. "And she dumped him the morning after his prom."

"Well, the age would match up if she got pregnant that night," Mike said, doing the math in his head. "Maybe she was a demon or something."

"No, Adam's luck isn't that bad," Ben told him. "One boyfriend who got ripped to pieces _and_ a demon girlfriend? It's a good thing he's with Matt now, that guy seems like he's relatively normal."

"Do you think we should call Adam and tell him?" Mike asked.

"Tell him what, that his kid is here with the demon holding his contract?" Ben asked with a laugh, then stopped. "Wait, why aren't WE trying to kill said demon? As a matter of fact, how did we get here? Is it me, or are the last few hours starting to be a major blur?"

"It's not just you. I remember walking to town with you, then something about Adam having a son," Mike said, scratching his head as he thought about what he just said. "Ben... I think something really messed up is going on here."

"I'll say, I need a drink," Ben told him. "Let's go get a couple of beers. And something for you if you're thirsty."

* * *

Alfie landed in the grass as Todreel appeared in front of him.

"This has been a long time coming," Todreel said as he stepped on Alfie's arm, snapping the bone. Alfie screamed in pain as Todreel kicked him hard enough to send him flying, but as Alfie went through the air, he ended up going through an invisible force field that was hiding something. "Oh, fu-"

Not too far away, Connor was about to rush to help Alfie when he saw a black cloud appearing over the forest. The townspeople were continuing their search for Jesse when the cloud started breaking apart, with black smoke funneling into the mouths of everyone in view. Connor ducked for cover as everyone was quickly possessed by the demon army Dawn had sent for.

"Asher," Connor whispered as he found Asher laying unconscious. "Asher, wake up. We've got trouble. Well, more trouble."

Connor still saw black smoke everywhere, looking for a host. Dragging Asher to an open tree trunk, Connor stashed his friend there, covering it with tree branches.

"There, now you should be-," Connor turned and saw all of the black-eyed townspeople staring at him. "Aw, crap."

* * *

Prometheus, Lucas, and Ritchie returned to Todreel's hidden home to find Jesse, only to find the bed empty.

"He was right here," Prometheus said. "He was dying, how could he-?"

"Maybe he got better," Lucas said as he saw shoe prints leading out of the door.

"There was something else here," Ritchie said as he looked at the bed. "Your friend might be in trouble. Guys, I think there's only one person who can help us, and that's Missouri. We have to find her."

"But wouldn't that mean having to go back into town?" Lucas asked with a slight laugh. "Where that demon is in control of everyone?"

"Missouri's the only one powerful enough to put Dawn in her place," Ritchie told them. "We just have to get to her and help her prepare for a fight."

* * *

"The kid's not in control of his powers," Ben said as he slid a drink across the bar to Mike. "I think Dawn's making him do this."

"Doesn't explain why it's wearing off," Mike said.

"Maybe it is him, trying to set us free for some reason. But if it's not him, it's... someone else," Ben told him. "Ever since we got here, there's been this... voice in my head. A woman, and she says she's trying to help."

"So, where's this woman at? Why isn't she here actually doing something?" Mike asked.

"I think she is here," Ben said. "We've just got to find her."

"And what about the others?" Mike asked as he drank his beer. "Ben, my kid brother's wrapped up in this now. What if he gets hurt?"

"Mike, Asher's a big boy, he can handle himself," Ben reminded him. "He's a hunter. You've got to trust him. I have a feeling if we find this woman, we'll have a way of stopping Dawn permanently."

* * *

"That's not the Anti-Christ," Dawn said as she saw the townspeople dragging Connor back, heavily chained so he could barely move. "You people are useless, even when you're possessed! I've had enough of these games, kill the vampire, then go back out and find the Anti-Christ before he starts any trouble!"

* * *

"Asher? Wake up, buddy," a voice said as a hand slapped the young hunter across the face. Asher sat up, holding his head.

"Where am I?"

"You were mind wiped, but I fixed it, now let's go get our boys,"

Asher looked up and saw Jesse standing there, his shirt drenched with blood. "Jesse? Why are you-?"

"Long story, pal," Jesse said as he helped Asher up. "But for right now, let's go tear that bitch apart and free our buddies."

As they walked back to town, they passed a pile of leaves on the ground, with a bloody hand sticking out from underneath.

* * *

Alfie picked himself up from the grass, holding his broken arm. Before he could take a step, Todreel punched his kneecap, shattering it. Alfie screamed as he fell back onto the grass, trying to crawl away.

"I loved you, Samandriel," Todreel told him. "We could have served under Lucifer together. We could have been one, helping turn this world into something better."

"This world can be something better, but not under Lucifer," Alfie said as he tried to crawl toward a small lake not too far ahead. "We have the chance to make it better for them, not for Lucifer."

"You can't get away, Samandriel," Todreel told him. "This is where you die. You'll never make it."

Alfie tossed his angel blade at Todreel, hitting him in the shoulder. Todreel screamed as he tried to pull it out, but just as he got it out of his shoulder and tossed it to the ground, Alfie managed to roll himself into the river.

"NO!" Todreel shouted as Alfie fell through the illusion of water. A bright light started to shine, with energy crackling as Alfie started rising out of the water, his eyes glowing a bright white. A pair of large red wings expanded behind him as Samandriel regained his grace and angel status, before landing back in the grass with his body healed.

"If you wish to continue this fight, then let's do it fairly," Samandriel told him as he looked down at his renewed angel form, which now included a Wiener Hut uniform and hat. "Oh, COME ON!"

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	29. Graceland, Part 5

_Hours Earlier_

"I need you guys to do something for me," the nameless boy said as he looked at Ben and Mike. "I want you two to find a way to stop Dawn the second you leave here. Then I want you both to forget it, until it's time to take her down so she can't read your minds beforehand. I hope my powers work that way because... I don't want you to die."

"Well, that's... sweet, I guess," Mike said. "Why are you doing this?"

"'Cause I don't wanna be evil anymore," the boy told them as he stared down at the ground. "I wanna be good, then maybe... maybe my daddy will want to meet me."

"Kid, I guarantee you that if we get through this in one piece, you'll get to meet your dad," Ben promised as he looked down at his boxer shorts. Connor, who'd lost his clothes due to Jesse's powers malfunctioning, had 'borrowed' Ben's before escaping.. "Uh... can I get some clothes first?"

"After," the boy said. "We don't have time, I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of me."

 **Wayward Sons #23**

 **"Graceland, Part Five"**

 _Now_

"These are the clothes that I died in," Samandriel said as he looked at his Wiener Hut outfit. "They must have fused with my grace when Castiel killed me."

"That's a nice look for you," Todreel said as he tossed Samandriel his angel blade. "Shall we continue this fight?"

"First tell me why there's a lake of angel grace here,"

"Raphael ordered me to collect all of the lost grace on Earth, but after the Fall, there was too much to store inside of a tree, so I had to... improvise. I used a glamour to hide the location and I've been standing guard to keep everyone away," Todreel told him. "Now I really do have to kill you to keep the location secret."

"This can restore all of our fallen brothers and sisters," Samandriel said. "This can restore the Host of Heaven."

"So they can strike Lucifer down if he ever returns?" Todreel asked. "Once the Cage opens, he's going to come to find me and-"

Samandriel just tilted his head in confusion. "The Cage has been opened several times over the last few years. Lucifer's been released twice, he's been walking the Earth for the last two years. Or at least he was until he disappeared again."

"No, the Apocalypse, Micheal was supposed to- Lucifer was going to seek me out after the fight, I was to be at his side as he cleansed the world..."

"Todreel, has no one been telling you what's been going on?"

"I knew of the Fall, I witnessed it, but Raphael had me under orders to not communicate with any angels and stay off of angel radar-"

"Raphael is dead, and Michael is in the Cage," Samandriel told him. "Lucifer had all the time in the world, yet he has never attempted to contact you, has he? You have been kept in the dark all of this time, Todreel. You have been cast aside and forgotten by Lucifer, like you were nothing, just like everyone else that he's used."

"No, you lie!" Todreel said, his voice cracking as he fell to his knees. "This can't be."

"I have no reason to lie to you," Samandriel said. "And I have no reason to fight with you. I am sorry for what I did to you, but I did everything out of love. You can continue to attack me if you wish, but for right now, I must rescue my friends. If you still continue to bear hatred towards me, then after my friends are safe, we will finish this."

Samandriel disappeared quickly, leaving Todreel to stare into the lake of grace.

* * *

The townspeople were hauling a chained Connor to the town square, where they were planning to execute him on the order of Dawn.

"Filthy vampire," Dawn watched as the execution was being set up. "I'll enjoy watching all of them be destroyed when Lucifer returns and begins to cleanse the world."

* * *

"What the hell is going on out there?" Ben asked as he put his beer down after hearing the noises outside. As soon as Ben and Mike opened the door, they found Jesse standing there, who put his hand on both of their foreheads to free them.

"Huh, they're already free," Jesse said as he looked at his hands. "I really am good."

"I think the kid freed us," Ben told them. "Are you two okay? Jesse, why is your shirt covered in blood?"

"Oh, for-," Jesse said as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it away. "There, now there's no bloody shirt."

"You could have used your powers to get a new shirt or just clean that one," Mike said. "And the question kind of still-"

Jesse snapped his fingers, muting Mike. "Do you guys want to stop Dawn or not?"

* * *

"What are we doing here?" Lucas asked as he followed Ritchie to an abandoned hospital on the edge of town. "This place has been abandoned since the 80's. They shut it down after it was discovered that some messed up family was using it as a cover for weird medical experiments."

"I think this is where Missouri is," Ritchie told them as they broke in. "I can feel it."

Prometheus pulled out his sword and took the lead. "Then if your friend is here, we will free her."

"Have you always talked like this?" Lucas asked as he pulled out his gun.

"After a thousand years chained to a mountain I was out of practice with dialogue, I had to relearn it from the Gods of Olympus as I was making my way home," Prometheus told them.

"So you're over a thousand years old?"

"In Olympian time," Prometheus sighed. "In human time I'm only thirteen."

"Wow, puberty hit you like a bitch," Lucas remarked as they continued on. It wasn't long before they heard crying coming from one of the rooms. "Sounds like a kid crying."

"He might be hurt," Prometheus said as he rushed toward the sound and kicked the door open. The nameless boy was strapped to a chair, with a torture device on his head. Blood was running down his face as the boy continued to whimper in pain.

"It's him," Ritchie said as he rushed over to the boy. By now the young Anti-Christ was timid and afraid of everything. "What has she done to you?"

"That's the kid who's all powerful?" Prometheus asked.

"And it looks like Dawn's put him through hell," Lucas said as he put his gun away. "We have our chance to kill him, and maybe start to fix things."

"No one is killing this kid, you two go find Missouri and free her," Ritchie said. "I'll stay here with him."

"Are you out of your mind?" Lucas asked. "This kid is evil."

"No, he's not. Trust me."

"... Okay," Lucas said as handed Ritchie his gun. "You know how to fire a gun?"

"No, but I'm a fast learner," Ritchie told him as the other two left the room.

* * *

"We can't hurt all of these people," Ben said as the group made their way to the town square, where Connor had been dragged under an awning on a small stage. "How are we supposed to save Connor?"

"Duh, I'm the freakin' Anti-Christ, remember?" Jesse asked.

"A virtually powerless one," Mike reminded him as Jesse snapped his fingers to mute him again.

"WAS virtually powerless," Jesse said as he smirked at them. "It's showtime."

* * *

Connor's head was forced down on the ground as the town sheriff walked up with an axe in his hand.

"Any finals words, boy?" the sheriff asked.

"Yeah, can we hold this off for a few hours? Netflix just got the new season of Stranger Things,"

The sheriff raised the axe over his head, and just as he was about to bring it down, the axe turned into a water balloon, splashing Connor and getting his head wet.

"Huh, that was supposed to be confetti," Jesse said as he appeared from out of nowhere. "Guess my powers are still a bit rusty. Alright, folks, nothing else to see here."

"Except for your death," Dawn said. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away if your friend was in trouble. Now it's your turn to die."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try," Jesse said as he walked forward, hitting an invisible barrier. He looked up and saw a large demon trap painted on the awning. "Fuuuuuu-"

"Alright, looks like it's up to us. TIme for plan B," Ben said as the rest of the group found themselves suddenly surrounded by the townspeople. "Maybe we should have come up with a plan C."

* * *

Ritchie got the boy out of the torture hair, and took off his jacket to wipe the blood off of the young man's face. "It's okay, kid, you're safe no-"

Once freed, the boy immediately hugged Ritchie as tight as he possibly could. As soon as his arms wrapped around Ritchie, his vision started warping, giving him insight into the future and what it held for the two of them. Among everything he saw, the one thing that he saw the most was... hope. He snapped out of it and stared at the boy.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"Nevermind," Ritchie said. "Get on my back, I'm getting you out of here."

"What about Dawn?"

"Kid, with the way I'm feeling right now, now even Dawn can stop me from getting you to safety."

* * *

"He was right," Lucas said as he found Missouri laying in a bed with wires attached to her head. "This must be her. What is she hooked up to?"

"Some kind of machine," Prometheus said. "Dawn must be using her psychic powers to shield the town. She's keeping everyone out and pulling in the people only she wants to come."

"Probably enforcing the kid's powers to keep everyone under her thumb, too," Lucas said. "Let's get her out of this. Maybe that'll cut Dawn's power down some."

Ritchie came in with the boy on his back, and upon seeing Missouri in the bed, almost broke down in tears.

"It'll be okay, Ritchie," Lucas promised. "She's still alive. Is the kid okay?"

"Yeah," Ritchie said. "He's better than okay. He's the one who's going to save the world."

* * *

Ben, Mike and Asher were taken toward the stage where Dawn met up with them.

"You let the vampire get away, and the Anti-Christ was barely recaptured," Dawn said angrily. "I thought you were- Where's the angel?"

"She thinks we're still under the kid's control," Ben said under his breath.

"We lost him in the woods," Asher told her. "We think Jesse took him out."

"Then I might as well kill all of you while I have everyone," Dawn said. "There's so sense in leaving anything to chance, especially since I'm so close to having everything."

"What about Adam?" Ben asked.

"Soon I'll have him, and his brothers," Dawn told them. "I've wanted Adam by my side since Azazel came up with this whole idiotic Anti-Christ plan. I should have been the one to seduce Adam. I should have been the one to bear the Anti-Christ and present him to Lucifer. My king, my baby, and the human I've so foolishly loved for years from afar. Then together, we'll make his brothers our pets that he can get his revenge on."

"Okay, ew," Mike whispered.

"You're... in love with Adam?" Ben asked.

"Why do you think I've been doing all of this?" Dawn asked. "I arranged for Samandriel to escape Purgatory and rescue Adam from the Cage. I've been planning everything since Michael and Lucifer's little playground fight. All I needed was a virgin to enter the Cage, but not just any virgin. A virgin angel. I even accounted for Adam's annoying habit of falling in love with the wrong men."

"Wrong men?" Ben laughed. "The only guy he's dated since he got out Hell is- Aw, crap."

"I'm going to have it all, boys," Dawn said. "And it starts with killing all of you."

"I believe you mean that you're going to lose it all," Samandriel said as he appeared inbetween Dawn and the boys. "You'll not touch one hair on Adam's head, or those of my friends."

"Alfie?" Ben asked. "Does this mean that-"

"I am an angel again," Samandriel smiled as he turned his head toward Ben. "And I'm here to-"

A ring of holy fire suddenly lit up around Samandriel, trapping him. "I got distracted, didn't I?"

"The holy oil was meant for the Anti-Christ as a back-up, but this will work, too," Dawn said as she snapped her fingers for her followers to grab Ben, Mike and Asher. "Let the executions-"

"STOP!" the nameless boy shouted as he arrived with Richie, Lucas and Prometheus. "No one else dies because of me!"

"Actually, now everyone here is going to die because of you, just like this," Dawn said as she stabbed the sheriff in the stomach with a blade, watching him bleed to death as he fell, watching the demon exit his body. "I am sick of your disobedience, so now I'm going to order everyone in this town to kill themself, just like I did with the last town you wandered into."

" _You_...killed them?" the boy asked.

"I couldn't leave any witnesses to your power," Dawn said. "So, yeah, I had the whole town wiped out. Just like I'm going to do here."

Lucas pulled out his gun, but Dawn waved her hand and knocked Lucas into a wall. She sent Richie flying into Prometheus before he could draw his sword as she headed to the boy.

"I can't kill you because Lucifer may have a few tricks to sway you to his side," Dawn said. "But that doesn't mean that I can't break your legs-"

"Leave the boy alone!" Missouri's voice shouted inside of Dawn's head, causing her to clutch it in pain as Missouri stepped out of the alley. "People come to me for good news, not because they want to hear the truth. In your case, the truth is that you're evil and I'm here to shut you down for good!"

"Your powers are working," Ritchie told the boy. "You're amplifying our psychic energy enough to where we can fight back."

"This isn't how it's going to end," Dawn said as she fought back, sending everyone flying back onto the ground with a powerful psychic blast. "I haven't come this far to be run down by a group of-"

A cherry red Impala suddenly slammed into Dawn, sending her flying several yards. The door opened as Adam stepped out, wielding a shotgun.

"A little voice in my head told me this is where I needed to be," Adam said as he looked around, immediately locking eyes with the nameless boy. "Now, what's this I hear about me having a son?"

The nameless boy's face lit up with glee as he looked at the man with the shotgun in his hand.

 _ **TO BE CONCLUDED...**_


	30. Graceland, Part 6

**Wayward Sons #24**

 **"Graceland, Part Six"**

It was the first dream he'd ever truly had. For nine years, the boy with no name had lived in a cellar, with zero contact with any other being, including the mother that feared his existence. It was the only world he'd ever little food he had to eat, clothes on his back to keep him warm, and toys to keep him amused were what his limited imagination provided for him.

It was only when the cellar door opened on that fateful day that the boy with no name's world opened up to new possibilities. And it all began with finding a photo of his mother and father at their high school prom. His mother was dead, but his father? He had to be out there somewhere.

Maybe his dad was a superhero, or someone equally important. Maybe he was out there,saving the world and keeping people safe. But if he was a hero, why wasn't he trying to save the boy from his dungeon? Did he even realize he had a son?

There were so many unanswered questions that he needed to ask the man. But first the boy had to find him. He could only imagine what their first meeting would be like.

So, for the next few months before he went to sleep, he'd pull out the picture and dream the same dream he'd continue to have until the day the day he arrived in Lawrence. The dream of meeting the man in the picture and having someone to love him.

* * *

There seemed to be a golden light shining behind Adam as he stepped out of the Impala. It was almost like it was happening in slow motion as the boy saw his father for the first time, giving the boy a gentle nod. His face lit up as his eyes locked with Adam's.

 _It's him. It's my daddy. He's come to rescue me. He is a superhero_.

"What's this I hear about me having a son?" Adam asked as he saw all of his friends. "And why the hell wasn't I invited to this party?"

"Adam, we can explain," Ben said as Dawn started getting up.

"You tried to break my deal, didn't you?" Adam asked as he saw Samandriel in his Wiener Hut uniform. "Holy crap, you're an angel again."

"How did you-?"

"Why else would you be wearing that ridiculous outfit again?"

"Hello, Adam," Dawn said as grabbed Adam by the throat and lifted him into the air. "I really wanted our first date to be a little more special."

"Put my daddy down!" the nameless boy shouted as he charged toward Dawn. She held up her hand to stop him, but he broke through her telekinesis and shoved her, causing Adam to fall back toward the ground.

"That's impossible!" Dawn said. "How did you?"

"He's the Anti-Christ, remember?" Jesse asked as Ritchie and Lucas spray painted over the demon trap that was holding him, while Ben and Mike poured dirt on the holy fire. "That outranks lower class demon."

"I'm a high-ranking demon!" Dawn reminded him.

"Sure you are, sweetheart," Asher told her.

"Would a low-ranking demon have been able to manipulate the angel into escaping the Empty?"

"I wasn't in the Empty, I was in Purgatory," Samandriel told her.

"You were in the Empty, in an eternal sleep with every other angel who's died since the dawn of time," Dawn told him. "I used a spell to manipulate your dreams into performing that incantation to get you into the Cage where Adam was. I'm the reason both of you are alive right now. The only drawback was that now every angel sleeping in the Empty is dreaming that they're in Purgatory."

"That would explain the issue where Metatron narrates Ben's backstory," Jesse said to himself.

"I escaped the Empty?" Samandriel asked. "It felt so real..."

"Don't listen to her, Alfie," Adam said. "Let's finish this bitch and be on our way ."

"I can still order this entire town to kill themselves," Dawn told them. "They'll be dead before you can blink."

"Yeah, about that," Jesse said as he reached up and pulled down a hanging microphone from out of nowhere. "Would everyone who is currently possessed please leave the town and go directly back to Hell? Except you, darlin', you can stay for now."

The possessed people of the town opened their mouths as black smoke started pouring into the ground, returning to Hell below. After being freed, everyone passed out on the ground, leaving only Dawn as the group started closing in on her.

"I still have Adam's contract," Dawn said. "I still get to take him with me when his time is up. And failing that, Ben dies if that contract is broken. I win, no matter what."

Ben grabbed Lucas's gun and held it to his temple.

"If I die, Adam is free," Ben realized.

"Ben, don't do this," Adam told him.

"I never told you to sell your soul for me," Ben said as he released the safety. "You've got a son now, Adam. This kid's done nothing but say how much he wants to meet you. You've got a few weeks left to get to know him, and then you're just going to up and leave him? Screw that. You're going to raise that kid, and you're going to see him grow up and be the adult that my dad was too much of a coward to stick around for. I love you, Uncle Adam."

A tear fell down his face as the nameless boy saw Mike was standing close to Dawn.

"NOW!"

Mike involuntarily pulled out Ben's angel blade and stabbed Dawn right in the heart. Energy crackled in her eyes and mouth as she fell forward to the ground, dead.

"What was that?" Mike asked.

"I told you and Ben to find a way to get close enough to kill her, then forget it until I told you to do it," the boy said. "I couldn't risk her reading your minds that you were going to do it."

"So it's really over?" Ben asked. "Neither of us has to die?"

"No, she's dead, no more contract I guess," Adam said as he kneeled down to look at the boy. "I- I guess I'm your father."

The boy smiled as he hugged Adam tightly, tears falling down his face. "I've been looking for you, Daddy. I've been looking for a long time."

"I'm sorry," Adam said as he returned the hug. "If I knew you existed, I would have found you sooner. But now we're together, and I'm never letting you go. We're a family now and-"

Adam felt something jump in his arms. He pulled lifted his hand from the boy's back, seeing it was covered in blood, with a growing blood stain on the back of the boy's shirt.

"Daddy?" the boy said as he fell forward.

"No," Adam said as he saw the boy's eyes were growing dimmer. "NO!"

* * *

Not too far away, Walt was sitting on top of a building with a sniper rifle, having finally gotten a clean shot.

"Got you, you son of a bitch," Walt said as he stood up, finding he was face to face with Jesse.

"You shot my friend's kid," Jesse said angrily. "You shot MY friend. The last person who pissed me off got turned into a doll, and I ended up kind of liking him. Imagine what I'm going to do to someone I hate, like you."

* * *

"Please, God, no," Adam said as he held the boy's dying body in his arms. Samandriel approached and kneeled down, touching the boy's forehead. The boy gasped as he bolted awake. "You saved him."

"Of course I did," Samandriel smiled. "I also put a mental block on his powers in his weakened state. He can access a limited amount, but he's mostly human now."

"Thank you," Adam said as he stared down at his son.

"Can we go home now?" the boy asked.

* * *

"So, what are you guys going to do now?" Ben asked as Mike and Asher were getting into their truck.

"Asher's going back to school, whether he likes it or not," Mike told him. "And I'm going to go back to running the road house."

"And I'm going with them," Connor said as he got into the back of the truck. "These guys need me more than your group does."

"Take care of yourselves," Ben said as he hugged Mike. "Keep in touch, we may drop in now and again."

"Holding you to that," Mike told him as he stared at Asher after closing the door. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Asher told him. "I guess going through all of this has made me realize that I need to keep living my life. I love Mason, and I know he's waiting for me, but I'm going to make the most of the time I have left. I'm going to finish school and maybe try to start the family that we were planning."

"That's my baby brother," Mike said as he started the truck and drove off. "I'm proud of you, kid."

* * *

"Adam, we need to talk about Matt," Ben said as he got back to the group.

"I already know," Adam told him. "Matt's gone."

* * *

 _Sometime Earlier_

The beheaded werewolf was laying in the grass in the backyard, having been shot through the heart with a silver bullet for good measure. Adam and Matt were sitting in the living room, Matt's neck having been patched up after Adam had just barely saved him.

"I had to tell you the truth," Matt said, realizing Adam couldn't even look at him now. "I'm sorry. I really do like you, Adam, but... I'm straight. And now I guess I'm a werewolf. You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

"No," Adam said in barely a whisper. "And neither will Dawn. I'll make sure of that. You'll be safe, for now."

"For now?"

"You used me," Adam said after a brief pause. "You played with my emotions. I gave you my heart and soul, Matt. I loved you," Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. "I was going to propose before Ben and the others came home. I guess that's kind of out of the question now."

"Adam, I-"

"Shut the hell up, I'm talking right now," Adam said calmly, but bitterly. "I don't hate you, Matt, but I also can't stand the sight of you now. Dawn wanted you to make me an emotional mess, and it worked. I'm a wreck because not only did you fuck with my heart, you made me convince my friends that you were the one. I worked like hell to get them to give you a chance. All I can do is let you just... walk away..."

Adam pulled a silver bullet out of his other pants pocket. "And keep this in a locket that my mom left behind. I'm going to wear if close to my heart, Matt. And if I ever see you again, for any reason, I don't care what it is, then this bullet's going to go straight through your heart, no questions asked. Is that understood? If you try to contact me, or any of my friends, you're a dead man. Are we on the same page on this?"

Matt just nodded as Adam stood up. "I'm going upstairs to get cleaned up. That gives you a good twenty minutes to get your stuff and get the hell out of my town before I come back downstairs."

Adam calmly walked upstairs and took a shower. When he got out, he wrapped a towel around his waist and headed to the window, where he saw Matt's car pulling out of the driveway and heading down the street. That's when Adam's lip curled and a tear fell down his cheek, followed by another one, and then more and more tears came in an uncontrollable flood of heartbreak.

Adam slid down the wall, crying uncontrollably as he felt his heart continue to crumble for the next few hours...

* * *

 _Now_

"Did you want to finish this?" Samandriel asked as he returned to face Todreel.

"What's the point?" Todreel asked as he sat on a tree stump. "I've lost everything. I lost my brothers and sisters, my host body has lost his family, and worst of all... I lost you."

"You can come with me," Samandriel told him as he put a hand on the young angel's shoulder. "We can do good in the world, together."

"No," Todreel whispered. "I have to stay here. I was tasked with guarding the grace, and I will continue to do so. So that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. But if you find that our brothers and sisters are broken and need it, and if you trust them-"

"I will send them your way," Samandriel smiled. "Goodbye, Todreel. It was good seeing you again."

As Samandriel vanished, Prometheus returned and saw the young angel sitting alone.

"I thought you'd moved on," Todreel said as he stared up at the young man.

"I have taken it as my duty to help those who need me," Prometheus said as he held his hand out. "And I think you need a friend. And possibly a sparring partner."

Todreel started to smile as he took the demigod's hand.

* * *

"So, I guess this is goodbye," Ritchie said as he stared at the nameless boy.

"Yeah," the boy said as he hugged Ritchie. "I wish I knew why I felt so close to you. But I have to go be with my dad now."

"I understand," Ritchie said. "You've got my number. Maybe we can hang out sometime next summer."

"I'd like that," the boy said as he headed toward the Impala, waving goodbye. Ritchie stared up at Missouri.

"I saw that vision, Ritchie," Missouri told him. "I know what the future holds for the two of you."

"Then you know I'm going to die," Ritchie said.

"I know you still have a few years left to make your life count," Missouri told him. "Besides, the future's not written in stone. You never know what can happen with enough love and kindness behind you."

Lucas walked up behind them, giving Missouri her amulet back.

"They said I'm the new sheriff," Lucas said sadly. "That demon witch killed him like he was nothing."

"You'll do great," Ritchie told him. "You really held it together back there."

"I was scared out of my mind," Lucas said.

"You just need some guidance," Ritchie said as he took the man's hand. "Perhaps a good psychic reading to hear some good news?"

* * *

"Samandriel and Jesse both decided to teleport home," Adam said as he sat on the passenger's side with the boy sitting between them, who was staring up at Adam the whole time, completely in awe of the man who'd rescued him. "You know, I never asked you, kid. What's your name?"

"I don't have one," the boy said , looking down in shame.

"Well, you're the kid's father, shouldn't that honor fall to you?" Ben asked, realizing what he'd just said. Ben at that point started to wonder what his name would be if Dean had stuck around to name him as a baby.

Adam stared out the window and thought for a moment. "Okay, kid, you need a name that fits. How do you feel about Hunter Jacob Milligan?"

"Hunter," the boy said as he perked up again. "I like it."

"Welcome to the family, Hunter," Ben told him. "You're in a for a wild ride, kid. Tell you what, why don't you pick the music for the trip home?"

Hunter reached down and turned on the radio, landing on a classic rock station that was playing Led Zeppelin.

"I really think I'm going to like this kid," Ben smiled as the cherry red Impala cruised down the highway.

* * *

 _Utah_

A demon bar was serving drinks to its evil clients as Jesse stepped through the door, locking it behind him.

"You picked the wrong bar to try to pass off a fake I.D., kid," a large burly man said as he got up off of his stool.

"Oh, my credentials are real," Jesse said. "Half-human, half-demon, all Anti-Christ."

"Yeah, right," the man said as he Jesse held out his hand, forcing the man back onto his stool.

"I need a drink," Jesse said as he sat down. The bartender was visibly nervous at this point. He'd heard that the Anti-Christ was real, but to see him here? He slowly poured a shot glass of whiskey as Jesse tossed it against the wall. "Not that kind of drink, buddy."

Jesse grabbed the bartender by the collar and bit down on his neck, drinking his blood. From outside the bar, screams were heard as the lights started flickering until the bar went both completely dark and silent. A short while later, Jesse stepped outside of the bar, covered in blood.

"It feels good to paint the town red,"

 **NEXT: FAMILY REUNION!**


	31. 2018 Annual

**Supernatural 2018 Annual**

 **"Fizzled"**

Ben was laying face down on his bed in the home he shared with Adam, Samandriel and Jesse, trying to sleep off the previous night of heavy drinking. His cell phone started ringing with the tone "Heat of the Moment" as he repeatedly slammed his hand on the nightstand in an effort to blindly grab the phone.

"Hello?" Ben asked in a groggy voice, only to be met with a high-pitched voice on the other end.

"Why hello, Ben!"

"Not now," Ben moaned as heard the voice of a hunter he'd worked with a few years earlier. "What do you want, Mr. Fizzles?"

"Well, I was on a hunt and came across some information you might be interested in, friend. It's about your mother."

Ben suddenly jumped up, and just a little too fast because the hangover then hit him full force, forcing him to lay back on the bed.

"What about my mother? Tell me."

"What's the magic wooorrrrd?"

"Please, Mr. Fizzles, what do you know about my mom?"

* * *

Ben didn't even waste time getting dressed. He grabbed a pair of pants and some shoes, running to the Impala in his boxers and an old t-shirt.

"Where are you going in such a rush?" Adam asked as he was heading back from the mailbox.

"No time to talk, got a tip on my mom, call you soon!" Ben shouted as he jumped into the car and sped out of the driveway.

Adam just shrugged and headed back inside, seeing that his son wasn't downstairs yet. He thought kids would be up bright and early, causing havoc in the early hours of the morning. Adam put the mail down and headed upstairs. Adam had only been a father for less than 24 hours and was already nervous about screwing up his new role. "Hunter?"

Adam opened the door, seeing his son sitting on the edge of his bed, just waiting. He was still in his pajamas, just staring at the door patiently.

"Are you... okay?" Adam asked. "How was your first night in your new home?"

"I'm great, Dad," Hunter said. "Can I get up now?"

"Can I get u- of course you can get up, kid, you're not bound to this one room," Adam said as he walked over and picked the boy up to make eye contact with him. "This is your home, now. This entire house is free to roam if you want. Except the basement where we keep the weapons and stuff, just ask permission if you want to go down there. Got it?"

"Are you mad at me?" Hunter asked.

"No, why would I be mad at you?" Adam asked as he set his son down, sitting next to him. "I get it. You've never had a real life with a real family before. You think you're going to mess up and I'm going to get angry. Well, yeah, you are going to mess up, you're 10, that's what ten-year-olds do. But I'm not going to be angry with you. I may scold you and tell you what you're doing is wrong to put you on the right path, but I'm not going to yell at you or make you feel bad over it. We're going to make this family thing work, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," Hunter said as he hugged him.

"Okay, now get dressed and come downstairs, I'll fix you something to eat," Adam said. "You do like pancakes, right?"

Hunter gasped before whispering. "Those are my favorite, especially the ones with whipped cream and berries on top."

"You are definitely my boy," Adam said as he stood up. "See you downstairs, kid."

* * *

Jesse returned to his bedroom, his clothes covered in blood. He started pulling off shirt as he realized Samandriel was in the room with him.

"If you want to see me strip, all you had to do was ask," Jesse smirked.

"Where did you go yesterday? And why are you covered in blood?" Samandriel asked as he got a closer sniff, just as Jesse shooed him away. "Demon blood."

"So I went on a few... dozen hunts on my own last night," Jesse told him as he headed to his closet. "There's no crime in that."

"You just got your powers restored, you should take it easy," Samandriel said. "How _did_ your powers get restored?"

"The... same way yours did?" Jesse asked nervously.

"The grace pool wouldn't work on a half-demon," Samandriel said suspiciously. "What is going on? Are you in some kind of demon deal like Adam was?"

"Of course not, I just... got a tip from someone who wanted to help me, he led me to something that helped me get my powers back up to full," Jesse said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to take a nice hot shower. Alone, as in no angels seeing the Anti-Christ naked."

Jesse turned around and saw that the angel was gone from the room. Jesse sighed and put a hand on the wall, breathing heavily. "What am I doing?"

* * *

Ben arrived at the coordinates he was given, which had led him to Wisconsin. He looked around and his old hunting buddy in a cafe window, sipping on a straw, even though the level of milk in the glass wasn't moving.

"Mr. FIzzles?" Ben asked as the sock puppet with the blue button eyes stared up at him.

"Why, hello Ben!" the puppet excitedly said. "It's been a long time, friend!"

Ben stared up at the man attached to the puppet, who just seemed to be in a daze. "Is... he okay?"

"Shhh, he's sleeping," Mr. Fizzles told him. "Garth's retired from hunting, but not ol' Mr. Fizzles! No, sir, I'm keeping up the good fight against monsters and demons, you betcha."

"He should probably see a doctor about the fact this his right hand is hunting without him," Ben said as he sat down. "So, what do you know about my mom?"

Mr. Fizzles reached down and grabbed a manilla envelope with his mouth, sliding it over towards Ben. "My contacts took this photo yesterday afternoon. It looks like the picture you showed me when you told me about your mom."

"It's her," Ben said in a quiet whisper as he looked at the picture. "I'd know her anywhere. Do you know where she is now?"

"No, but... there's a vampire nest not too far from this picture was taken,"

"Show me where it is," Ben said as he stood up. "I'm rescuing my mom."

"Ben, shouldn't you at least call-"

"No time, my mom could already have been dragged off somewhere else," Ben said as he headed for the door. "I've lost enough time with her as it is. This ends today."

* * *

"Help!" Hunter shouted as he wandered into the kitchen, his shirt stuck over his head. He bumped into the wall as Adam ran over to help him. He had one sock on his right foot and nothing on his left, while his pants were also on inside out.

" You've never dressed yourself before, have you?" Adam asked as he pulled Hunter's shirt down so he could see.

"I never had to, I just had to think about wearing clothes and they appeared," Hunter said. "Now I don't have any powers."

"You still have them, they're just locked in your subconscious," Samandriel told him. "So you can experience being a real boy."

"Being a real boy is hard," Hunter said as he sat down. "Now I'm normal and I can't figure out clothes or rules or shoes or reading."

"Which is why we're going to help you with all of that," Adam promised. "Once we get all of the paperwork settled like social security numbers and a birth certificate, I can enroll you in school. By then you should have the dressing yourself thing down. Where are your shoes?"

"I got mad when I couldn't get them on so I threw them out of them of the window,"

Adam just sighed. "Samandriel, do you think you could-"

"Give him the knowledge he needs by downloading it into his brain?"

"What? No," Adam said. "He needs to learn this stuff on his own. I was just going to ask if you'd go find his shoes."

"Of course," Samandriel said as he disappeared. Adam just kneeled down in front of Hunter as he sat in the chair.

"Why can't I have my powers?" Hunter asked.

"Because I want you to grow up to be a normal kid," Adam told him. "Maybe when you're a bit older we'll let you have some of them. I just don't want you to be a target for demons like Dawn. I know I've been a dad for less than a day, but... I love you, Hunter. You're the most important thing in my life now, I have to do what I can to protect you."

"So you'll teach me to hunt like you?"

* * *

"There it is," Mr. Fizzles said as he showed Ben to the location of the vampire nest. "You can't go in there alone. It's dark and scaaarrry."

"I've killed tons of vampires since I started hunting," Ben said. "My mom's in there, I know it. And I'm not going home without her. No more crying myself to sleep at night wondering what I could have done differently to save her. I can make it up to her for not being good enough that night by saving her now."

Ben went to the trunk and pulled out a container with saffron, trillium and skunks cabbage.

"A little something to block my scent from them and I'll be good to go. You don't have to stay here for this, Mr. Fizzles. I know you have a family to take care of."

"Hunters are family, I'm not leaving you, no siree," Mr. Fizzles told him. "Let's go save your mom."

* * *

Jesse was standing shirtless in front of the bathroom mirror, splashing water on his face. As he stared up into the mirror, he found Lucifer staring back at him.

"Why haven't you rescued me, Jesse?" Lucifer asked. "I thought we had a deal."

"i'm almost strong enough, Ive been drinking demon blood like you said. My powers have come back, but... I think something's wrong. I can't stop feeding on demon blood," Jesse said. "What's wrong with me?"

"Addiction's a little... side effect of the process," Lucifer smirked. "Really should have told you about that. My bad. But I'll be able to help you better once you open that portal to bring me home."

"I just need a little time," Jesse told him. "I mean, I feel more powerful, but I don't feel... normal. I feel sick."

"Side effects, it'll get better in time," Lucifer said. "Just open the portal and I'll make it all better."

"Soon, I promise," Jesse said as he felt his throat getting dry. "I- I need a drink."

"Jesse, your addiction is only going to get worse the more you avoid bringing me back," Lucifer said as he watched Jesse leave the bathroom. "JESSE!"

* * *

"I have retrieved Hunter's shoes," Samandriel said as he returned to the kitchen. "The battle with the neighbor's dog to retrieve them was difficult, but I succeeded. Where is Hunter?"

"Playing in the backyard," Adam said quietly as he stood over the sink. "I told him he could go barefoot as long as he stayed in the yard. He- he wants to be a hunter like us. I didn't know what to say to him. I don't want him doing this. I know what my dad put Sam and Dean through, what he would have put me through if he'd raised me. I won't do that to my kid, Samandriel. I won't turn him into a soldier. Now I know how Dean felt when he tried to keep Ben out of this life.

But it still happened, didn't it? Ben became a hunter, so did I. Our dads tried like hell to keep us out of this nightmare and we still ended up right in the middle of it. Does that mean that Hunter's doomed to live his life fighting monsters?"

"No one says you have to raise him like your father raised Sam and Dean," Samandriel told him. "If you trust your son enough to follow you into this life, then train him, but do it as a father who wants his son to be able to protect himself, like how Ben should have been able to fight the vampires that attacked him and left him in a coma."

Adam just sighed as he looked out the window, where Hunter was playing with a basketball.

"I just want him to be innocent for as long as I can let him," Adam said. "I don't want him having nightmares about monsters that he'll find out are real. I want him to have fun and smile, and not have to worry about getting killed if he makes the wrong move. I had that life when I was little. I was able to keep my innocence, not knowing what's in the dark. Then the ghouls came..."

Adam opened the window, taking a deep breath. "Hunter, we need to talk!"

* * *

After dusting himself in the ashes, Ben snuck into the nest with a freshly sharpened machete in hand. He tried to be as quiet as possible as he walked through the darkened building. Using a small flashlight, Ben lit the way, hoping to find his mother.

Moments later, Ben found a cage where the vampire's victims were being held as a food source to be bled dry over the next few weeks. Ben made a shushing motion as he opened the cage.

"Go," Ben whispered. "Run as fast as you can when you hit the exit and don't look back."

Ben watched the handful of people leaving the cage, expecting to see his mother. When he saw the cage was almost empty, he held the last man back.

"There was a woman here, dark hair, late 30's?" Ben said. "Where is she?"

"This was everyone," the man said. "The only people I've seen be killed are a few men but there were no other women."

"Get out of here," Ben said as he took a deep breath. "Dammit, mom, where are you?"

Ben looked ahead and wondered if his mother wasn't being kept deeper in. Maybe the vampires took a liking to her and were keeping her alone somewhere. That had to be it.

* * *

"You're really going to let me go hunting with you?" Hunter asked excitedly as he sat in the chair.

"For the small scale stuff," Adam told him. "Ghost hauntings, possessions, things like that. And only if you keep your grades up when you start school. You're going to live a normal life, got it? You'll go to school, make friends, do homework, things like that. Then when we do some small hunting that's not too dangerous, we'll bring you along. In the meantime, we'll do a little training to get you ready. Does that sound fair?"

"I guess," Hunter told him. "I just want to be a hero, like you."

"You'll be a hero in your own right, kid," Adam told him. "Go play, lunch will be ready soon."

As Hunter ran out of the room, Adam looked at Samandriel. "Am I doing the right thing? Is taking him hunting the right thing to do?"

"If you don't, someone else probably will," Samandriel told him. "Or worse, he'd go out on his own. At least with us, you can keep an eye on him."

"I suck at this parenting thing," Adam said as he sat the table. "I have no business raising a kid. I can't even keep my own life together. I couldn't even tell that a straight guy was playing me when we were dating."

"Matt fooled all of us," Samandriel reminded him. "I am sorry that he hurt you, Adam. You didn't deserve to have that happen to you. You will make a good father, and you have your friends here to help you."

"Thanks, Samandriel," Adam told him. "It's good to have my best friend at my side. I don't think I'd have made it this far without you."

"Does it bother you?" Samandriel asked. "That I look like... _him_?"

"I loved Matt," Adam said as he stared down at the table. "I wanted to spend my life with him. I love you, too, Samandriel, just... in a different way. I mean, we've literally been through Hell together. I'd die for you, just like I'd die for Ben or Hunter. I don't see Matt when I look at you, Samandriel. I see a guy that I'm proud to call my brother."

* * *

Hunter was in his bedroom, feeding the guinea pig that Jesse had given him as a homecoming present. Jesse knocked on the door as Hunter turned around. "Hi, Uncle Jesse."

"I see you're enjoying your new pet," Jesse said as he bent over and looked in the cage. "Hiya, Walt, enjoying the new surroundings?"

"Dad says he's going to teach me to hunt, but just some of the smaller things," Hunter told him. "Do you think I'll make a good hunter?"

"I know you'll make a great hunter," Jesse said as he mussed the boy's hair. "With or without powers. You're a very special kid. Too bad Samandriel had to put your gifts under lock and key."

"Dad says I need to be normal,"

"Normal is overrated," Jesse said as he put a finger to the boy's forehead. Hunter's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he passed out. When he woke up, he was in a field with Jesse standing over him. "You want training, kid? Let's train. I'm going to show you how to use all those wonderful powers, like my Uncle Gabriel showed me. Just... don't tell your dad we're doing this. He has to think that you're still 'normal'."

"We didn't bring my shoes,"

"You have powers, bring them yourself," Jesse said. "For that matter."

Hunter suddenly found himself standing in the field in just his Scooby Doo underoos.

"Get yourself dressed, kid, something like a superhero costume. Use your imagination. Make whatever costume that you want to wear, the more heroic, the better."

Hunter closed his eyes and concentrated, opening them to find his underoos had changed from Scooby Doo to Superman.

"That's a... start," Jesse said.

* * *

Ben had wandered deeper into the vampire nest in search of his mother, not finding anything, not even any vampires, who should been resting.

"I'm really not liking this," Ben said to himself as he turned around, seeing three vampires blocking the exit.

"He let our snacks go!" one vampire said.

"We'll get them back later, we have their scents," another one said. "In the meantime, we have this one to snack on. Stupid little boy, you should have stayed home to play your video games."

"I'm here for my mom," Ben said. "Where is she? Where's Lisa Braeden?"

The vampires started laughing at him.

"The kid wants Lisa! Should we tell him or let him find out on his own?" the vampire asked.

"I want Lisa Braeden, tell me or I'll cut off all your freakin' heads!" Ben shouted angrily.

"Oh, the little boy wants to play vampire hunter," one of the vampires said as Ben heard a skittering behind him. More vampires started surrounding him as they started to close in. "Screw it, let's just eat him."

A quick machete swipe caused the vampire's head to fall off and roll towards Ben's feet. Ben looked up and saw Mr. Fizzles with a machete in his mouth.

"Let's rock," Ben smiled as he held his own machete up and rushed toward the first vampire he saw.

* * *

"Aw, do you have to?" Hunter asked as he stood in the field with a shield and sword. He was wearing blue chain link armor and a helmet.

"Sorry, kid, it's just until you have enough control over your powers to where I can trust you won't spill the beans," Jesse said as he put a finger on the boy's forehead. "Trust me, in a few weeks you're going to be such a pro at this that your dad's going to have to admit that you're responsible enough to be a full time hunter."

"Thanks, Uncle Jesse," Hunter said as they returned to his bedroom with Hunter back in his street clothes. "I really like spending time with you."

"I like being with you, too," Jesse said. "It's nice having another little Anti-Christ around. Kind of makes me feel not so alone."

"Hey, Jess, this package came for you," Adam said as he tossed a box to him. "You okay, Hunter?"

"Yeah, I'm great," Hunter smiled as he stared up at Jesse.

"Then put your shoes on, we'll go out for ice cream," Adam said. "See you downstairs in a few minutes."

Hunter sat down on the bed to struggle with his shoes as Jesse opened the box, pulling out a small charm on a chain. He found a note saying "Keep this with you, you'll be needing it. - A Friend."

"Who'd send this to me?" Jesse asked as he saw Hunter struggling with his shoes.

"A little help?"

* * *

"My only lead in finding my mom, and I blew it" Ben said as he looked around the room, where all the vampires had been beheaded. "I'll never find her now."

"Relax, buddy, you know that she's alive, you'll find her," Mr. Fizzles said as he patted Ben's shoulder. "Just don't give up hope."

"I'm being comforted by a sock puppet, my life has officially hit rock bottom," Ben said. "But you're right. I know my mom's alive now, and I'm not going to rest until I find her. I just wish I knew if she was okay."

* * *

 _The Alpha Vampire's Compound_

"This is the hunter who killed the nest," a vampire said two days later as he gave the surveillance photo to the Alpha Vampire. "He was saying he wanted to find his mom."

"Little Ben Braeden's finally on the trail to find his mother," the Alpha Vampire laughed. "My mate's birthday is coming up. Lisa would love to be reunited with her son, perhaps we could even sire him into the family. I want our top people on this. I want Ben Braeden brought here, alive and undamaged."

Elsewhere in the compound two twin teenage boys were working out in the gym. The only two humans in the place, they were eagerly awaiting their 18th birthday in a few months, which would be when they'd get the honor of being turned by the Alpha Vampire himself as a reward for all of their hard work serving him.

"You two," the vampire said as the boys stopped their training. "The Alpha Vampire has a job for you."

Sandy and Luke Wheat just stared at each other.

"It's about time."

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

 **"You Can't Go Home Again"**

Adam took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the mansion. He'd told himself that no matter what happened in his life, of all the horrors he'd ever faced, that this was the one place he'd never come to. Every instinct was telling him to run in the other direction, to not give this idea a second thought, but Adam knew what had to be done.

After discovering that he had a son, and thanks to a recent run-in with the brothers who left him in the Cage, Adam realized that he couldn't just ignore his family, whether he wanted to or not. That's why he was here today, so that Adam could talk to the one person he needed closure with.

The door opened as Kate Milligan stared at her estranged son. Nearly a year ago, Adam had discovered that his mother had been resurrected a few short weeks after both of them had been killed by ghouls, courtesy of the Styne family.

Kate and Adam wanted no part of the family they came from, even when Adam had been in an accident when he was a child. Eventually Kate relented, letting them bring her son back from the brink of death, with unasked for augmentations. That was the last time that Kate wanted any part of the Styne family, at least until the ghouls came for her and Adam that Spring night.

Kate had been brought back to life, only without her soul. Or most of it, at least. A tiny portion had been brought back with her, just enough to where she had let Adam and his friends live when the Styne family was going to come after them in full force. Adam could have been brought back in the same way as his mother, through the book of the damned, but the matriarch of the family, Nana Styne, had another idea. So the Stynes had Adam cloned, programming his mind as he grew to be loyal to the family.

The clone had died when the real Adam had convinced his doppelganger to think for himself, being gunned down by Monroe Styne, who in turn was taken out by Ben, Adam and Samandriel along with the other senior members of the Styne family. Kate knew that without a soul, she couldn't give Adam what he needed and left to be the new head of the Styne family.

Which brings us to today.

"Mom," Adam said. "I know I shouldn't be here, but we need to talk."

Kate looked around nervously, not prepared for her son's arrival. "Okay, but we have to make it quick."

* * *

Moments later, the two were sitting in the parlor with a cup of tea. After an awkward silence, Kate finally spoke up.

"So, what brings you here?"

"I've had a few... life changes recently," Adam told her. "A few brushes with death and heartbreak."

"Yes, dear, I know about all about Matt. A werewolf could offer a lot of strong organs if harvested right..."

"WHAT? NO!" Adam shouted. "How did you even know- Are you spying on me?"

"I'm keeping a close watch on my son to make sure he doesn't die on me again," Kate said. "I'm without a soul, Adam, that doesn't mean I don't care about you... or my grandson."

Adam gasped in fear upon hearing that. If the Stynes knew about Hunter, that would open up a whole world of trouble. "This family will not go anywhere near Hunter, understood? He's just a normal kid now. He doesn't have any powers, Samandriel made sure of that."

"Relax, dear," Kate laughed before stopping altogether, realizing who was standing on the staircase behind Adam. This was what she didn't want Adam to see. The young man quickly realized his mother was looking at something and slowly turned around, seeing a 12-year-old version of himself.

"Dammit, mom! You cloned me? Again?"

"At Nana's insistence," Kate said. "She still feels like you should be the head of this family now that-"

"The others are dead and buried?" Adam smirked. "I'd love to finish the job someday so that you can come home and-" Adam realized that the younger clone was hugging him at the waist.

"I love you, friend," the boy said as Adam stared at his mother.

"This is... the polar opposite of what I expected from another clone," Adam told her.

"Something went wrong with his programming," Kate told him. "Videos of war and violence were replaced with Mr. Rogers, Care Bears and other cutesy shows."

"You smell like happy," the boy smiled.

"Okay, get it off of me," Adam told her. "Wait... why is he alive? Isn't the Styne MO to kill anything cute and friendly?"

"He's the only one who knows how to make tea the way Nana likes," Kate said. "Speaking of which, A.J., it's time for Nana's tea."

"Yes, ma'am," the boy said as he kissed Adam's cheek before going over to kiss Kate's. "It was nice meeting you, sir. If you'd like to stay, I can make you some cookies to take home."

"I think I'm going into sugar shock," Adam said as he felt his stomach. "Look, mom, ignoring that diabetes plague in blue jeans, I just- I just don't want things to end badly between us if something were to happen to me. You're my mom, soul or not."

"Oh, Adam," Kate said. "You'll always be my baby boy, even if I can't really feel the love I used to have."

"Just promise me I won't have to come back to kill that... thing in the kitchen," Adam said as he hugged her.

"I promise," Kate said as she wiped the tear from Adam's eye, watching him leave. "I just wish A.J. wasn't going to have to kill _you_ soon. But like Nana says, the world only needs one Adam."

"Aw, he left without his cookies," A.J. said as he stood at the door with a tupperware dish.


	32. Carry On

_Plainfield, Indiana_

"This needs to stop," Dean Winchester said while parking his beloved impala. "For the last two weeks, we've been going on hunts, and everytime we show up, we're too late because some punk-ass rookies are trying to prove they're better than the pros."

"I don't think that's it," Dean's brother Sam said. "New kids are becoming hunters every day. Maybe they're just trying to prove themselves."

"Sam, they've been specifically going after our cases," Dean told him as they met Cas outside of the restaurant. "It's like they know where we're going before we do."

"They're here," Cas told them. "I followed the trail like you told me."

"Did you see these punks?"

"No, I only got vague descriptions," Cas told them. "They are young men, early 20's. They arrived in that car over there, although one that the witnesses described did sound familiar. They said he was wearing a Wiener Hut uniform."

"A Wiener Hut uniform?" Sam asked. "The last person we knew who was dressed like that was-"

"An impala, Sammy," Dean said as he set eyes on the car after scanning the parking lot. It was in mint condition without a scratch on her, with a fresh waxing that made it shine like it was just off the manufacturing line. "You still think they're not trying to imitate us?"

"It is in pristine condition," Cas said as he looked at the car. Dean marched toward the door of the restaurant, intending to give whoever was inside a piece of his mind. And maybe get some pie to calm his nerves.

"Now, Dean, come on, I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for-" Sam started to say as he saw who was sitting at the table in the back of the restaurant.

"Ben?" Dean asked, shocked.

"Adam?" Sam asked, surprised.

"Samandriel?" Cas asked, confused.

"Dean," Ben smirked.

"Sam," Adam said bitterly.

"Castiel," Samandriel said, unsure.

 **Wayward Sons #25**

 **"Carry On"**

 _Two Weeks Earlier_

"Why can't I just get the shoes with the velcro thingies on 'em?" Hunter asked as he struggled to pull on his right shoe. "Or just let me have my powers back so I just think them on?"

"Because that's not how normal kids get dressed," Adam told him. "You need to learn to do things for yourself, like putting your own clothes on or making your own ramen when you get hungry between meals."

"You still won't let me use the oven," Samandriel said.

"Well, the last time you tried to make cookies you nearly burned the house down," Adam reminded him. "1200 degrees does not make them cook faster."

"Alright, I did it," Jesse said as he returned. "I encrypted Sam's laptop with that tracer when they weren't looking."

"Good," Ben said as he started typing. "Now we can know what they know."

"You mean-?"

"We can beat them to their own cases," Ben told them. "Really stick it to them. They may have experience, but we have a bigger arsenal, one of the few fully powered up angels, and two Anti-Christs on our team. The bigger stuff we might have to struggle with until we get more experience under our belt, but the more routine possessions and hauntings we can be in and out of town before Sam and Dean leave their garage."

"What exactly is the purpose of this again?" Samandriel asked.

"With my contract broken, and no real distractions, we can finally focus on the first of our original goals, the first of which is finding Sam and Dean and making them pay for leaving me in the Cage," Adam said.

"And the second is that they have access to the Men of Letter's database, if I can crack that, I may able to use it to track down the vampires that took my mom and finally find out what happened to her," Ben said. "Even if she's... dead," Adam put a hand on Ben's shoulder to comfort him. "I can at least have some closure."

"Then let's do it," Adam said.

"Can I come hunting with you, Dad?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, Adam, get the kid into the family business," Jesse said. "It's not like I don't have the power to protect him."

"Hunter, you have to understand," Adam said as he stared into his son's eyes. "My dad brought my half-brothers into this life when they were around your age. He took away their childhoods. I want you to be different. I want you to go to school and make friends, and find a nice girl to date. You have a chance to be a normal kid."

"But I'm not normal," Hunter said.

"You know the deal," Adam told him. "You can go with us on the smaller stuff, the rest of the time, you focus of being a normal kid. You go to school, you play sports, hell, sit around your bedroom and play video games until you discover girls and start hiding magazines under your bed and hope your mother doesn't come snooping because you have just one men's muscle magazine in there. I was reading it for the articles, Mom!"

An awkward silence filled the air as Ben just scratched the back of his head.

"Okaaaay," Hunter said as they hugged.

"Alright, Ben, find us our first case," Adam said.

* * *

 _Now_

"How the hell did you get out of the Cage?" Sam asked Adam.

"Ben, you're a hunter?" Dean asked.

"How are you alive?" Cas asked Samandriel.

"What's the matter, scared of a little competition, _Dad_?" Ben asked as Dean gave him a shocked look. "Yeah, I know about the little mindrape trick you pulled. I also know that you're my real father. I had the DNA test done with some hairs I had a... friend collect."

* * *

 _While Sam and Dean were asleep in a motel room, Jesse snuck in and took some hairs from Dean's brush in the bathroom, then came right back and rubbed Dean's toothbrush in a less than friendly place._

* * *

"Ben, where is Lisa?" Dean asked. "Does your mother know about you hunting?"

"Ben's an adult, no thanks to you," Adam told him. "As a matter of fact, we're all doing just great despite you dicks getting Samandriel killed, leaving me to rot, and leaving Ben to die with no way of defending himself."

"And this is your revenge for something we had no control over?" Dean asked. "By killing some monsters to prove a point?"

"I'm sorry, did you say you had no control over MINDRAPING me and my mother?" Ben asked as he closed his menu.

"I didn't want you dragged into this life, you deserved to have a childhood," Dean said.

"When I was thirteen, me and my mom were attacked by vampires," Ben told him. "We had no defense again them. We didn't know any weaknesses, hell, we thought they were just myths. Some douche bag had wiped our memories. I ended up in a coma for two and a half years. When I woke up, I was in the hospital, and my mom hadn't been heard from since that night. I had no one, Dean. I was all alone."

"I'm sorry," Dean said, now feeling guilty.

"Oh, don't even," Ben said bitterly as he stood up. "I hooked up with a group of hunters who took me in and taught me what I should have learned from you. They taught me how to survive."

"Samandriel saved me from the Cage," Adam said. "We ended up meeting up with Ben and he taught us to hunt. Then we met Jesse," Adam told them.

"The Anti-Christ?"

"He's part of a set," Ben told them. "We have both of them. One of them is Adam's son."

"Some dickbag named Azazel used me to create a little bundle of joy," Adam told them.

"Azazel?" Dean asked. "He knew about you? And Azazel made a kid? Did he feed him his blood?"

"What, you think I never existed before 'Jump the Shark'?" Adam asked. "Yeah, I read the book that some hack wrote about me and my mom getting slaughtered. And I know what my son is, and I don't love him any less. He's my boy, and unlike our father, I'm not raising him to be a weapon."

"Our dad didn't-"

"Dean, he kinda did," Sam reminded him. "Adam, we're sorry about... everything. Can we just talk about this? Try to make sense of what's been happening?"

"I'd rather fight it out. We're taking this outside. Come on, Ben, Samandriel." Adam said as he stood up.

"Adam, I don't think this is a good idea," Ben said as he followed him.

"These guys have had it coming for a long time," Adam told him angrily.

"Samandriel, you don't have to do this," Cas said as he caught his brother's arm.

"Adam and Ben are my friends, I will follow them anywhere. I would die for them," Samandriel said as he headed outside.

* * *

The six men met outside in the field next to the restaurant, just staring at each other.

"Ben, we don't have to do this," Dean said. "I just want to talk."

"You had your chance to talk the night you had your angel mindf**k me," Ben told him. "You had your chance to talk at any point over the last seven years."

"Samandriel, I do not wish to fight," Cas said. "I know you're a little angry."

"I'm not mad at you for killing me, you were a pawn," Samandriel told him. "I'm upset over everything you've done since then. The Fall? Releasing the Darkness? Being best friends with the King of Hell?"

"Now that wasn't exactly-" Cas said as the younger angel backhanded him, sending Castiel flying into a nearby cornfield.

"Adam, please, just calm down," Sam said as Adam took off his jacket.

"I'm not going to calm down until I beat the hell out of you-," Adam said as Sam swung, knocking Adam out on the first punch.

* * *

"Uncle Jesse?" Hunter asked as he looked into Jesse's bedroom , where he found the older Anti-Christ, shirtless and bloody while staring into the mirror. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jesse said in a low voice as he splashed some water on his face. "Give me a minute to clean up and we can go train."

"Where'd all that blood come from?" Hunter asked.

"I was... hunting this morning," Jesse said as he turned to face the boy. Hunter noticed the bags under his eyes, like he hadn't been sleeping.

"Dad says everyone needs to sleep," Hunter said. "How come you never sleep?"

"I have... nightmares," Jesse said. Everytime he tried to sleep, Lucifer would visit him in his dreams, pushing him to open the portal to release him back into the real world.

Hunter went to his room and came back with a teddy bear. "This is Teddy. Whenever I couldn't sleep while I was living in the cellar when my mom was alive, Teddy would help me. I want you to have him now, Uncle Jesse. You need him more than I do. It's the only thing my mom ever gave to me."

Jesse took the bear and smiled down at the boy. "Thanks, kid, this means a lot to me. Now let's go get you trained with those powers."

* * *

Castiel fell through several corn stalks, landing on his back as Samandriel walked toward him.

"You betrayed my trust, brother," Samandriel told him. "I was the one who always told our brothers and sisters that your heart is always in the right place. That you knew what you were doing, that we should follow your lead and show more compassion to the humans. I was always in your corner, then upon returning I learned the truth about you. That you are the one responsible for the Fall, and for releasing Lucifer once again. And for letting the demon tablet get into the hands of Metatron."

"I retrieved the tablet," Castiel told him. "I found it-"

"Under his mattress?" Samandriel told him. "You were duped, brother. A demon serving under Lucifer had beaten you to it, replacing it with a fake. My friends and I found the real one and hid it before it could cause any lasting damage. We also cleaned up the mess with the Stynes that Sam & Dean had left. The Horseman War is no longer a threat because of us. We've been saving lives."

"You killed War?" Cas asked as he stood up and tried to swing, but Samandriel punched him again, sending him spiraling onto his stomach.

"Him and his brothers seek their rings," Samandriel said. "The remaining two will probably stop at nothing to reclaim theirs and seek vengeance on us. You have lost your skills, Castiel. You've become weak over the years. The Winchesters have destroyed your spirit."

"Do you wish to kill me?"

"Of course not," Samandriel said, seeing Cas laying on his stomach. "I would never kill you. But that doesn't mean that I don't want to vent my anger. I spent hundreds of years climbing out of Hell, just to come back to find nearly all of my loved ones dead or damaged because of you. But there is one thing I can give you that may fix this," as Samandriel reached out his hand to Castiel, he saw Cas was bleeding. There was a banishing sigil under him as Samandriel's eyes widened. "Castiel, no, wait! I have to tell you about the lake of gr-"

Castiel put his bloodied hand on the sigil, banishing Samandriel from the location.

* * *

"I'm not fighting you," Dean said as he stared at Ben. Dean really couldn't fight his own flesh and blood. In truth, he'd know that Lisa was lying about Ben's paternity from day one. But he also knew why she would lie. She didn't want Ben to be shattered when Dean inevitably chose the road over his own son. It was better to let the boy think that Dean was just some random guy who never stayed in one place too long. No matter how hard he tried, Dean couldn't raise his fists against Ben, even in self-defense. "Let's just go back to the restaurant and-"

Ben's fist plowed right into Dean's jaw, sending him stumbling back. Before he could react, another punch sent him spinning. Dean spit out some blood as he tried to shake it off. He didn't want to hurt Ben, not after everything he'd been through. He'd let the kid get a few lucky hits in to make himself feel better, and hopefully he'd calm down enough to talk.

"That's one hell of a punch," Dean said. "Where did you learn to-"

Wasting no words, Ben continued to throw a barrage of punches at Dean, who tried to block him, but was still getting hit. An uppercut sent Dean falling back, trying to catch himself on a fence.

"The only guy I ever knew who could fight like that is-"

"Patrick Wheat, he was more of a father to me than you ever were," Ben said as he continued tossing punches Dean's way. Dean finally got lucky and landed a hit out of anger. Ben only felt his jaw and smiled at Dean.

"I'm sorry, Ben,"

"That all you got, old man?" Ben asked. "By the way, I got a good look at your car on the way here, spotted a patch of rust on the bumper. Should take care of that."

"Why you little-," Dean said as he tossed a punch at Ben, who side-stepped and punched Dean in the stomach, followed by a knee to the groin. Dean fell forward as Ben was about to deliver the final punch, but stopped, remembering what it was like when Dean was a part of his life, and how happy his mother was when they were together. He never saw her smile again after the night Dean left them. An entire lost childhood flashed before Ben's eyes as he just stood there, looking at the father who had abandoned him. "Do it."

"No," Ben said, his voice cracking, on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry."

Dean caught Ben before he could fall to his knees, hugging him tightly.

* * *

Hunter rushed Jesse with his shield, sending him flying back to the ground.

"Am I getting better, or are you getting worse?"

"Both," Jesse told him as he sat up while yawning. "I think we should call it a day, kid."

"We've only been out here three minutes," Hunter told him.

"I know, but... my head's just not in this today," Jesse said as he locked Hunter's powers back and teleported them home before heading back to his bedroom. A few minutes later Hunter came in with a glass of chocolate milk.

"Do you want a glass? It's the only thing I can really make,"

Jesse took the glass and drank it. "Thanks, kid. Kind of chalky, though."

"That's probably daddy's special pills."

"Come again?"

"Dad uses pills to help him sleep, so I thought you could use them, too."

"And how many did you use?"

"You haven't slept in a while, so... twelve."

Before Jesse could get up, he fell back onto the bed, dozing off. Hunter tucked him in and kissed his forehead. "Sweet dreams, Uncle Jesse."

* * *

"A pet Hellhound?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He's really gentle," Adam said as they were both drinking a soda while Adam held an ice pack to his swollen eye.

"Sounds like you've really been doing great," Sam said as he saw Cas stumbling back. "Where's Samandriel?"

"Gone for a while, but he'll be back," Cas told them. "What about the boy? Is he-"

"It's cool, Cas, trust me," Sam told him. "Right Adam?"

"You're still a dick," Adam said. "And you punch like my ex-boyfriend."

"Did you just-"

"Yeah, I'm bi," Adam told him. "And I've dated both a succubus and a werewolf, on top of having a demon bitch named Dawn having the hots for me."

"We'd better check on Ben and Dean," Sam said uncomfortably as he saw the two walking back toward the restaurant. Ben was sniffling with his hands in his pockets, with Dean's arm around him. "Dean, what happened?"

"We came to an understanding," Dean told him.

"So, that's it?" Adam asked as he watched the black impala driving away. "You called a truce? What the hell?"

"It's better for everyone this way," Ben told him. "We agreed to keep to ourselves for a little while, unless it's an end of the world emergency. They agreed to let us access their database as long as we share information about mom as soon as it comes up. We can really use all the help on this that we can get, Adam."

"Fine," Adam said. "You're right, finding your mom's the most important thing right now, even if we have to team up with those douche bags. Wait, where's Samandriel?"

* * *

"We really going to leave them alone?" Sam asked as the Impala drove down the highway.

"Of course not," Dean told him. "They're in way over their heads on this. They've got the demon tablet, and now Famine and Pestilence are going to be on their asses. Not to mention Lucifer's going to be gunning for them if he ever returns, what with two Anti-Christs living with them."

"They're good kids, Dean," Sam said. "They've been holding their own for a while now. I think we should trust them until they give us a reason not to. I mean, Ben beat the crap out of you, how many people can do that?"

"Kid got a few lucky shots in," Dean told him. "Doesn't make them qualified to be hunters. We need to make sure those kids don't get themselves killed. You okay, Cas?"

"Yes, something's just bothering me about something Samandriel tried to say before he was sent away," Cas told them. "He said he had to tell me about a lake of... I couldn't catch the rest before I cast him away."

"Maybe the kid really got into fishing since the last time we saw him," Dean said. "I'm sure it's nothing big."

* * *

 _Lawrence, Kansas_

While Prometheus was in town, getting some supplies, Todreel was relaxing in a hot spring nearby. Soon he heard a crashing sound and jumped out of the water in his blue swim trunks. He rushed over to see a weakened Samandriel laying in a crater.

"Knew you couldn't stay away long," Todreel smirked. "Care for a dip in the hot spring? Made it myself."

Before Samandriel could answer, a thunderous sound was heard as a dozen angels appeared around them, all dressed in business suits. Samandriel being cast away by the sigil had alerted Heaven to the fact that he was alive, and his landing tipped them off about the energy coming from the hidden lake of grace.

"Oh, damn, they sent the nicely dressed ones," Todreel said. "This must be serious."

"You two are to be taken to Heaven for crimes against the Host," the head angel said.

"Crimes? What crimes?" Todreel asked innocently.

"Illegally stockpiling angel grace," the angel said as he looked at the other angel. "And you've been off of our radar for a very long time, Samandriel. We have many questions for you, including how you managed to escape from the Empty and why our intel thinks that you may have the demon tablet."

"I wasn't illegally stockpiling, Raphael ordered me to-"

"ENOUGH!" the angel shouted. "Take them both away."

Before the two angels could do anything, they were spirited away to Heaven to stand trial.

 **NEXT:** _ **A Reaper's Tale!**_


	33. Heart of Cole

_2009_

Cole Griffith had stayed far too long in the cold winter weather that February day. The young man had got caught up playing with friends in the park. They went snowsledding, built a snowman, and the most important thing of all, Cole got a kiss from the girl he liked that lived up the street.

Yeah, it was just a friendly kiss on the cheek, but it was better than nothing. Cole had nursed a crush on the girl since she moved into the neighborhood. Today it was a kiss on the cheek, next week they could be holding hands. He just needed time to get her to like him enough to want to hold his hand.

Unfortunately, Cole's time was rapidly running out. Later that day, he would suffer a fatal asthma attack upon returning home. As he lay there on the ground, feeling his breath running out, Cole wondered who would take care of his mother if he was gone. Who would mow the elderly neighbor's lawn next door? Who would make his mother breakfast in bed for her birthday? Who would fix the t.v. reception when the weather was bad and ruined the dish reception?

As his body died, Cole's mind filled itself with questions about who would help when he was gone, and what would happen to him in the afterlife. Was there a Heaven? Would he go to Hell for stealing a kiss from that girl in third grade that he really liked? There were so many unanswered questions...

 **Wayward Sons #26**

 **"Heart of Cole"**

 _Nine Years Later_

"No, not me, anyone but me," the old woman said as she lay on the ground while having a heart attack.

 _It's not easy being a Reaper, especially one who used to be a mortal. I don't get the shapeshfiting powers, or ability to freeze time, or superstrength. I get teleportation and the power to incapacitate if it's needed. That's. All._

"I'll give you money, a car, my first born kid, anything!" the young rich man said as he sat in the twisted remains of his sports car with a pole sticking out of his chest.

 _My job is to take people into the next life. Heaven or Hell, it depends on how good of a life you lived. But in the end, we all have to go._

"You touch me and I will beat your dead ass!" the overly muscled man said as he pounded his fist into his palm, having been crushed to death by a fallen weight rack.

 _People try to bargain, they try to run, they try to fight._

"Come on, man, I got a family!" the man said as he lay on the sidewalk with a bullet in his heart. "They need me!"

 _But in the end, you can never outrun your fate._

"I'm ready," the elderly man said as he stared up at the young Reaper while surrounded by his wife, kids, grandkids and great grandkids. "I died surrounded by love."

 _My name is Cole... I honestly forgot my last name, it's been forever since I've needed one, and for the last nine years, I've been an angel of death. A Reaper. A job I fell into when I was denied entrance into Heaven by a dick angel named Zachariah out of pettiness for helping two guys named Sam & Dean._

 _My Reaper, Tessa, felt sorry for me, and rather than just leave me in the Veil, took me under her wing and taught me how to reap. And I was good at it, like, really, REALLY good. It wasn't long before I was breaking records and making a name for myself in the afterlife. And that's when I met... him._

 _Death himself made me a Reaper since I'd proven I could handle the job. The first human ever to take a job as a Grim Reaper. And I've been doing it ever since. I've reaped old people, young people, men, women, and children because I know what happens if they stay behind. They become bitter spirits who would start to hurt people if they didn't cross over._

 _My Reaper/boss Tessa died a while ago when there was a lockdown on Heaven and all souls who were destined to go there were trapped in the Veil. Since then the Reapers have been using secret entrances to access Heaven to take the souls where they need to be. I thought being a Reaper would be easier, since I wouldn't have much to lose, but I was wrong. I lost Tess, Death (who enjoyed fried pickles as much as I do), and some very good angel friends who died during the Fall._

 _There's a new boss in town, now that Death himself was killed by Dean Winchester. Her name is Billie, and i don't think she likes me very much._

* * *

"I don't like you, Cole," Billie said as she sat behind a desk in her reading room, staring across at the young Reaper. Her scythe sat in the corner, Cole swearing that he could hear it thirsting for his blood. "I've never liked the idea of a mortal reaping souls. It just isn't... natural. As a Reaper, I was never able to do anything about that. But now I'm the head honcho. And guess what the means?"

"But I've been doing this for nine years, Death chose me,"

"Death was put in a bad spot, which was to keep you where an eye could kept on you, or turn you back to the world, where you'd be trapped forever in the Veil," Billie said. "Death didnt make you a Reaper because he liked you, he did it because he didn't like the alternative of you becoming an angry spirit."

"When Death was killed, I'm the one who stepped up and kept everyone focused when they were all in a panic,"

"Admittedly, because you were human, that did come in handy to help everyone keep their cool," Billie sighed. "But the fact remains that you're still a living soul wielding unimaginable power. I can't have that going unchecked, not at this point in the game."

Cole just lowered his head. "Am I being fired?"

"You're being... reassigned for the time being," Billie told him. "At least until enough time has passed to where I know I can judge this situation better. I'm still learning how to see the bigger picture, and how everyone fits into it. Where your place in all of this is I haven't figured out yet," Billie said as she put a book down on the desk. "This book right here? This was your story, Cole. And it ended when you died of an asthma attack in 2009. There's no mention of not getting into Heaven, or somehow conning your way into a position as a Reaper. You DIED. Your story was supposed to end, but somehow it didn't, and until I figure out why the universe slammed you down into my little corner of the sky, you'll remain where I can keep an eye on you."

"So I get to stay?"

"For now, you'll be given one group of souls to keep an eye on to reap as they die. It could take a few weeks, it could be decades, but you'll be given the task of watching over this group of souls," Billie slid a book over to the young Reaper.

"I know these guys. I was supposed to reap Ben Braeden last year, but a demon deal got him out of it," Cole said as he flipped through the book.

"I know," Billie said. "And the next time Ben Braeden dies, you will personally take him to the Empty. From now on, any creature with Winchester blood running through their veins will go to the Empty when they die. Sam, Dean, Ben, Adam, all of them. No Winchester alive will ever end up anywhere else but the Empty when they die from this point on. While Sam and Dean do have reasons to continue living, and I can't take them right away, the boys in that file will be reaped the instant they pass. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Cole told her as he stood up and walked out of the office. "Dead stays dead, got it."

"Oh, and there is one more thing," Billie said as she waved her hand. Cole started feeling strange as he realized he was getting taller. Within seconds, he'd gone from 14 to 23. "There, now you look more professional. Now, go get your last assignment and get to those boys before another Winchester breaks the world."

Cole just nodded and left the room, wishing he had time to adjust to his new form.

"Okay, that's done," Billie said as she stood up. "Now that Cole's been placed where he needs to be, we can get the real ugliness over with. I finally get a crisis where Sam and Dean aren't the ones starting the fire, and it turns out that it's their half-brother and Dean's son that are going to doom the world."

Cole had grabbed his final assignment before being permanently assigned to Ben's group of hunters. He grabbed the envelope and opened it, feeling a panic attack coming on.

"No," Cole said. "Please."

He looked down at the picture of his own mother, who he now had to reap...

* * *

"Hey, kid, I see you got an upgrade," Cole's angel friend Nathaniel said as he sat down. Nathaniel was in the body of a young man in his late 20's.

"Yeah, a fourteen-year-old kid reaping souls apparently didn't look right," Cole said. "I heard the bad news about the angel shortage. So how many of you guys are left?"

"Not many," Nathaniel said. "The Fall wiped out a lot of us, and the wars haven't helped. We're going extinct, Cole. Within the next few years... we're all going to be extinct."

"I wish there was something I could do," Cole said. "But I just got demoted myself. This is my last job before being reassigned."

"We'll still get to hang out, I hope," Nathaniel said.

"I'm getting reassigned to Dean Winchester's son,"

Nathaniel seethed a bit as he squirmed uncomfortably. "And I thought angels had a high mortality rate. It was nice knowing you, Cole."

"Not funny,"

"Wasn't trying to be funny," Nathaniel told him. "You should be careful. Hanging out with the Winchesters will get you killed."

"Thanks for the tip, but I think I'll be fine," Cole said as he looked at his watch. "I gotta go reap one last soul. Wish me luck."

* * *

Cole entered the house, seeing a house full of faces that he didn't recognize, and very few that he did. A few people he knew from the church and a few assorted family members, but the rest of the people he had no idea who they were.

"Are all these people here to watch my mom die?" Cole asked himself as he saw... her. The girl he'd had a crush on when he was a living human. Here she was, all grown up and as beautiful as ever. For a brief instance, Cole had wondered what it would have been like to actually grown up and had her as his girlfriend, and possible wife. If they would have had children, or even ended up living in this very house.

Cole's watch then started beeping as he headed upstairs to find a priest from the church giving his mother her last rights as she lay in her bed, having wanted to die at home. Cole slowly approached the bed, taking his mother's hand.

"It's alright," Cole said calmly. "You'll be at peace soon."

"Cole? Baby?" Cole's mother asked as she lifted her hand. No one else in the room but her could see the Reaper, so they all thought she was moments away from passing.

"Yeah, mom, it's me," Cole told her. "I'm going to take you home. It's all going to be okay, I promise."

Cole helped her spirit stand up as he physical body finally passed away. People started crying and mourning as Cole hugged his mother.

"You're all grown up," Cole's mother said. "I missed you so much. Now we can be together forever."

"Well...not quite," Cole said.

* * *

Cole and his mother approached one of the back entrances to Heaven that the Reapers used to get people in now that the gates of Heaven were locked thanks to Metatron.

"So I'll never see you again after this?" Cole's mother asked.

"No, but you'll have your own personal Heaven for all eternity," Cole told her. "And at the end of eternity when everything's dead, I get to have my own."

"This whole time I thought you were in Heaven," his mother said. "I thought you've been happy this whole time."

"Mom... I am happy," Cole told her. "I get to help people cross over. I get to help people be at peace when they die. I feel like I get to make a difference."

"But you never get to see Heaven?"

"No," Cole told her. "That's... very complicated. But at least you get to see it, Mom. I'm just glad I got to be the one who helped you get there."

The two hugged as both mother and son shed tears. "I guess this goodbye."

"For now," Cole promised her. "I love you, Mom. And I'll see you again someday. For now, enjoy your personal Heaven."

Cole watched her go through the gate and tried to stay strong.

"You didn't tell him, did you?" a reaper asked Billie as they watched Cole seeing his mother off.

"Death didn't want him to know, and neither do I," Billie said. "When Cole Griffith dies, he goes to the Empty, just like every other Reaper and Angel. The second Death made him one of us, when he took the job, he gave up being human. So he goes where all of us go. He just doesn't know it."

* * *

Cole showed up just outside of the house that Adam shared with his friends, walking inside and seeing Adam sitting on the couch with Hunter, reading to him; Ben was on the phone with Asher, trying to find a lead on Samandriel; and Jesse was playing a video game while sitting on the floor.

"Oh, hey, Cole," Jesse said as he looked up. "Grab a controller."

"How did you-?"

"Because I'm not blind, I can see Reapers," Jesse said.

"REAPER!?" Adam asked as he jumped up.

"Relax," Cole said as he made himself visible. "I'm not here to take any souls... yet. This is a long story, but the short of it is... I'm moving in."

 _ **NEXT: Wendigos, Lucifer, and Reapers, Oh My!**_


	34. Lucifer Collects

"You didn't have to put him in the hospital!" Asher shouted as he slammed the door behind him as he entered Mike's Roadhouse.

"Well, I would have put the bastard in the grave if I thought I'd get away with it," Mike told him. "Asher, the first relationship you jump into after losing Mason, and it was with a physically abusive douche canoe who leaves bruises all over you! You were raised by hunters, you should have broken that guy's arm the second he even attempted to hit you"

"He was good to me, most of the time," Asher said nervously. "And- and I was never alone at night. Do you know what it's like to wake up alone in the morning after losing the love of your life?"

"Is that what this is all about?" Mike asked as a knock came at the door. "You don't want to be alone, so you let some jerk pound you into hamburger? That's now how I raised you. You're supposed to be stronger than this, kid. Why can't you find a nice guy who'll treat you the way you deserve to be? Someone who'll take care of you if I'm no longer around?"

Mike opened the door and found Adam standing there.

"Hope I didn't come at a bad time,"

 **Wayward Sons #27**

 **"Lucifer Collects"**

"Okay, Adam's gone to hunt down some leads," Ben said as he got his own gear ready. "I'm going to talk to some of Samandriel's angel friends to see if they know what's going on. I'll see Joshua first, then I'll hit up Todreel, and maybe Cupid is those leads don't pan out. You going to be okay alone with Hunter, Jesse?"

"Are you kidding? I love hanging out with Hunter," Jesse said before adding under his breath. "As long as the little bastard doesn't drug me again*."

 _(*WS #25)_

"Okay, Hunter, keep an eye on Jesse," Ben said before he left.

"You know, we have a Reaper hanging around," Jesse said. "Maybe he could tell us-"

"I already told you guys, I have zero pull in Heaven or with the Reapers now that I'm assigned to you assholes," Cole told the remaining two as he sat at the kitchen counter. "I'm cut off unless it directly involves your deaths. Samandriel is still alive, that much I know, but I can't do anything _unless_ he dies, in which case he goes to the Empty where no one can get to him."

"Which doesn't help us in the slightest," Jesse said. "Even with my powers, I can't pinpoint him. It's like his location is shielded. I think the tether spell that connects us got broken when I was dying*."

 _(*See the Graceland arc. -TC)_

"So if you're with us, why aren't you out trailing Ben or Adam?" Jesse asked. "It's not like me and Hunter are in danger inside of a warded house."

"Good point," Cole said. "Not that I'm hoping you guys will die, but the sooner that happens, the sooner I can get back to my real job."

As soon as Cole disappeared, Jesse looked at Hunter. "Grab your shoes, kid, it's training time."

Hunter quickly went to grab his shoes and saw the charm Jesse had received in the mail sitting on the stand. He grabbed it and shoved it into Jesse's pocket when he wasn't looking.

* * *

After catching up on their lives, and telling Adam what had happened with Asher's latest relationship, Adam sat down at the bar to ask about Samandriel.

"With all the hunters that pass through here, we do hear things in passing," Mike said as he poured Adam a beer. "Three days ago, there was a disturbance just outside of Lawrence, Kansas, right where all the trouble was with the demon who was holding your son*."

(*WS 19-#24)

"The hunters we heard this from said a fireball fell out of the sky, but by the time they got there, all they found was a sliding dirt trail, like something landed and skidded to a stop, but whatever was there was long gone. They also found a pair of child sized clothes by a hot spring, like a kid had been taking a dip."

"Samandriel's angel friend Todreel," Adam said as he put his glass down. "That might be where he landed, but Todreel is very territorial from what you guys told me. If he's missing, too-"

"Someone could be kidnapping angels," Asher suggested.

Adam looked at his watch. "Mike, would you mind if stayed over for the night and leave in the morning? Kansas is a long drive from here."

"I don't mind at all, the room you stayed in last time is already made up. Make yourself at home," Mike said.

"Thanks, buddy, I appreciate everything," Adam said, patting him on the shoulder as he headed upstairs. Mike watched him leave and pulled out his cell phone.

"It's Mike. I'm calling in that favor we discussed. I know exactly what I need now."

* * *

Ben had pulled up just outside of Joshua's Greenhouse when he came face to face with Cole.

"Dammit! Don't pop up in front of me like that!" Ben shouted. "You could give a guy a heart attack."

"Perfect, that would actually give me something to do," Cole told him as Ben walked past.

"Joshua?" Ben asked as he opened the door. "Are you here? We could really use your help to find- oh, jeez."

Joshua was laying on the floor, dead. The black ashy outline of his wings were behind him as he lay there.

"Damn," Ben whispered. "Cole, what do you know about this?"

Cole sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "For the last time, I know nothing of what's going on. I have zero contact with the Reapers or Angels. Even Billie's not returning my calls. We are on own on this one, and by 'we', I mean you dicks."

Ben pulled out his cellphone to call Adam, who was taking a nice, hot shower at Mike's.

"Great," Ben said as he put his phone away. "I'm going to Lawrence, don't follow me."

"I don't have to do what you say," Cole told him. "You're not my mama!"

* * *

Adam wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out into the bedroom where Asher had brought some clean blankets.

"You might need these, this time of year it gets really cold at night," Asher said as Adam realized the younger college student was staring at his naked chest.

"Eyes are up here, kid," Adam as he headed for his overnight bag.

"Oh, sorry," Asher said as he put the blankets down. "I'm sorry about Matt. That was a real dick move, man. You didn't deserve that."

"And you don't deserve to be smacked around by some jerk," Adam said as he pulled a t-shirt on. "You're a smart kid, Asher, you should set your goals higher. Like, way higher. Go for someone that's not so far below your league. Go for another hunter that'll give you the respect you deserve."

"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?" Asher asked, wanting to change the conversation.

"My buddy's in trouble, and I don't leave my friends hanging," Adam told him as he motioned for Asher to turn around so he could finish getting dressed. "If Samandriel's out there, I'm going to find him, just like if you or Michael went missing. We'd pull out all the stops to find you."

"You guys would really do that?" Asher asked as Adam zipped up his pants. "You haven't known us as long as Ben."

"So?" Adam asked. "I know you and Mike enough now to where I think of you both as really good friends. Hunters have to stick together, you know?"

"Yeah," Asher said, smiling a little as Adam put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know how you and Mike got into hunting, and it sucks you had to lose everything in the process," Adam told him. "But remember, kid, neither of you are alone. You're apart of something big. You've got friends who'll always have your back, no matter what. And the next time some jerk decides to use you as a punching bag to make himself feel better, I'll make the bastard dig his own grave. Now, what do you say we get a bite to eat, just you and me. You can catch me up on college life."

* * *

Jesse was watching Hunter stand in the middle of the grassy field, concentrating his powers.

"Come on, kid, you can do this," Jesse said as the boy clenched his fists. "Come on, think about what makes you angry and just let it go."

"Let it go? Let it go? I HATE THAT MOVIE!" Hunter shouted as a tremendous blast of psychic energy shot out, knocking Jesse flat onto his back and causing a scarecrow sitting on a post to explode in a shower of straw and wood splinters.

"Holy crap, kid!" Jesse shouted as he stood up, realizing his shirt was on fire. He pulled it off and stepped out the flames. "That was awesome."

"It was fun, too," Hunter told him with a giggle.

Jesse was about to come closer when he got a splitting headache.

"JESSE!" Lucifer shouted in his head. "Enough stalling! Open the portal!"

"Jesse, are you okay?" Hunter asked.

"Lesson's over for today, kid," Jesse said as he waved his hand, sending Hunter back to his bedroom. "I just need a little-"

"I can sense your power, your tank is full," Lucifer said. "Now you're just stalling. I gave you a way to survive, now it's your turn. Open the door, Jesse. I may not be able to do much from where I'm at, but I do have just enough juice to explode your head. Now do it!"

"Okay, okay," Jesse said. "Who knew that Lucifer would be so impatient?"

* * *

Later that night, Adam was laying on the bed when he got the call from Ben.

"Adam, I'm heading toward Lawrence," Ben said. "I think this goes beyond Samandriel. Joshua's dead."

"What?" Adam asked as he sat up.

"I just left the Greenhouse, he was killed,"

"I'll get dressed and-"

"No, whoever's doing this might have already taken out Todreel, no need for both of us to go to an already deserted murder scene. Maybe Prometheus is still there and knows something. Are you there with Mike and Asher?"

"Yeah, I was going to head toward you in the morning,"

"Head home when you're able, bring the brothers if they're willing. I'll check this out and head back, and we'll all meet back up to compare notes," Ben told him "Be careful, Adam, this seems to be bigger than we realize."

"Should I call to warn Sam & Dean?"

"I've been leaving voicemails on Dean's phone, but they might on a hunt and can't get to it," Ben replied. "I just told Dean that Cas could be in trouble, I'm waiting to hear back."

"Just be careful, I'll see you at home," Adam said as he went to grab his shoes when Mike stuck his head in.

"I really hate to ask, but there's been sightings of a Wendigo on the loose," Mike said. "I want to find this thing before that summer camp opens at Crystal Lake next week."

"Yeah, sure," Adam said as he stood up. "I can hang around for a while. Ben's heading toward Lawrence, and I'm not that far from home, but after that I need to go back. Something big is happening."

"Perfect," Mike said. "Grab your gear and meet us at the truck."

* * *

Jesse got to his feet and stumbled around a bit before focusing all of his energy on fixing onto Lucifer's location in the universe. He finally found something and started opening a portal. That's when he felt something in his pocket, pulling out the charm just as Lucifer stepped through the open crack in time and space.

"Whew! It does feel good to be back!" Lucifer said as he saw Jesse, opening his arms. "My boy! Come on, bring it in for the old man."

Jesse was nervous at first, but slowly approached Lucifer, letting him hug the boy who'd opened the portal. "I'm not going to question why you're shirtless every time I see you, but hey, it's your life."

"So... now what?" Jesse asked nervously.

"Well," Lucifer said as he pulled away slightly and looked into Jesse's eyes with a smirk. "Now I go find my biological son who is in every way, shape and form superior to you," Lucifer said while putting his hands on Jesse's shoulders. "Unfortunately this also means that I only need one uber-powerful child running around so-"

WIthout missing a beat, Lucifer snapped Jesse's neck, watching him fall to the ground with his eyes wide open. Lucifer started whistling as he stepped over Jesse's dead body before disappearing into the sunset moments later.

"I could go for a burger right now," Lucifer said to himself. "Wonder if Big Kahuna Burger is open late."

As Jesse lay there in the grass, the charm, still being clutched tightly in his hand, started to glow...

* * *

"I'll... be right back," Cole said as he quickly vanished from the passenger seat of Ben's impala.

Hunter was wandering through the house alone when he stubbed his bare toe on the coffee table. "OW!" the boy shouted for a psychic blast shot forward, overturning the table. Hunter looked at his hands. "Uncle Jesse didn't lock my powers back up."

A sudden knock on the door caused Hunter to jump in fear.

"Uncle Jesse?"

Hunter cautiously approached the door and opened it, shocked at who he saw standing there.

"I know you,"

* * *

A few miles away from the Road House, Adam, Mike and Asher were loading up with guns and aerosol flame throwers.

"Alright, let's get this son of a bitch," Adam said.

"The reports say that it's right around this area, so there's not too many ways in and out with the woods being so thick," Mike said as he lay the map on the hood of the truck. "Adam, you and Asher circle around to this area right here and work your way in. You should be able to draw him towards me and we'll have him cornered."

The three geared up as Mike called to Adam, who turned around.

"That's my baby brother you're taking in there," Mike said. "Keep an eye on him."

"I'll protect him like I would Hunter," Adam promised as he turned around to catch up to Asher.

Mike grabbed his flamethrower and headed toward the front entrance to the woods.

* * *

"No signs of angel death," Ben said as he walked around with a flashlight in hand. "Or anything else for that matter. "It's like whoever was here just up and abandoned this site."

Not too far away, someone was on Ben's trail, trying to be stealthy.

Luke held up a finger to his mouth to tell Sandy to remain absolutely silent while Ben searched the site around the hidden gracepool. Their orders for the moment were only to follow Ben, but not to grab him until the Alpha Vampire wanted him to be taken.

* * *

"Keep a sharp eye out," Adam said quietly.

"I've hunted Wendigos before," Asher told him as he kept his flashlight aimed at the ground as he walked to watch out for traps. "A Wendigo was my first kill when I was 12. Mason helped me do it. Killing that Wendigo together... that's the day I knew that I started to realize that I was gay and that Mason was the love of my life."

Adam was about to say something when they heard Mike screaming from the other end of the woods.

"MIKE!" Asher shouted as he rushed forward, getting his foot caught in a beartrap. Adam caught him before he fell as he heard a snapping noise. Adam put his arm around Asher's shoulder to help him stand before he realized what was about to happen.

"Oh, crap," Adam said as the two fell into a deep hole that neither would be able to climb out of. Adam was immediately knocked unconscious as he hit the ground. Asher managed to sit up and back against the wall, seething in pain with the trap still wrapped around his foot.

"Adam?" Asher asked as he looked around in the darkness. "ADAM!"

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	35. Confessions From the Pit

_Seven Years Ago_

 _Little Rock, Arkansas_

12 -year-old Asher had become separated from the hunting party he'd come out with to track down a Wendigo that was claiming victims at the local national park. It was his first official hunt, and the first time he'd been apart from his big brother.

"Mikey?" Asher asked as he wandered through the darkness, his flashlight shaking as he walked. He was getting tired, and the park was very big. Not to mention a Wendigo was on the loose, hungry for human flesh. "I'm scared, Mikey."

Asher heard a scream from too far away and ran toward it, seeing Mason, the son of the family that had taken Michael and Asher in, laying on the ground with a Wendigo standing over him.

"Mason!" Asher shouted as the Wendigo turned its attention toward him.

"Asher, run!" Mason shouted. "I injured it with a silver tipped arrow, you can make it, go!"

The Wendigo ran toward Asher, who fell backward on to the grass. He reached into his bag for something, finding a lighter and an aerosol can. He quickly turned the two into a hand-held flamethrower, burning the Wendigo alive, killing it within seconds. A stunned Asher made his way toward Mason, reaching out his hand. Mason took it and smiled.

"You saved my life, Asher," Mason said as he held onto Asher's hand tightly. "I'll never forget this."

Months later, the two shared their first kiss while reminiscing about the Wendigo that made them realize that the two were attracted to each other, although both were far too afraid to admit it.

 **Wayward Sons #28**

 **"Confessions From the PIt"**

 _Now_

"Adam?" Asher asked as he tried to pull the bear trap that was stuck on his right foot off. He couldn't do it, and the pain getting to be too much for him. Adam wasn't too far away, having been knocked unconscious after having fallen into the pit the two hunters were currently trapped in, which had been set up by the Wendigo to trap its prey. "Adam, wake up, please."

Asher managed to pull off his left boot and threw it at Adam as hard as he could, hitting him in the back. Moments later, Adam started to wake up, dazed and confused by his current location.

"Oh, God, we've been shrunk and landed in Dean's stomach!" Adam said as he started to panic.

"We fell into a pit," Asher said, breathing heavily as Adam saw the bear trap on Asher's foot. He ran over and slowly opened it as Asher screamed in pain.

"It's almost there, kid," Adam said as he got it open, pulling it off of Asher's leg and tossing it away. "Jeez, that was really in there. Hang on," Adam pulled off his jacket and his t-shirt, ripping it to use it as a bandage to stop the bleeding, making it nice and tight. "Just breathe, Asher, you're going to be okay. I'll find us a way out of here."

"That thing got Mike," Asher said with tears in his eyes. "My brother's gone."

"We don't know that for sure," Adam said he tried to jump up see if he could find a way out, but the pit was a good twelve feet deep.

"We heard him scream!"

"He might have got caught in a beartrap, too, we'll find out when we climb out of here," Adam said, looking for anything that would help. He started shivering as the night air was starting to set in. He looked over and saw Asher was starting to get cold as well. He grabbed his jacket and put it over Asher's chest and arms.

"What about you?"

"I'll survive, it's you that I'm worried about," Adam said. "I promised Mike I'd keep an eye on you, and right now I'm sucking at that job."

Adam searched around, finally finding the flamethrower.

"There's no way out," Adam said as he sat next to Asher. "All we can do is arm ourselves if that Wendigo finds us and hope that Mike's still out there. It'll be okay, Asher, I'll keep you safe."

Hunter had just opened the front door and found the demigod Prometheus standing there.

"I know you," Hunter said. "You helped save that town from Dawn."

"And you're the little Anti-Christ who helped enslave it," Prometheus told him. "I need to talk to your angel friend."

"Samandriel? He's been missing for a while," Hunter said. "And my dad and Uncle Ben are out trying to find him."

"My ally Todreel has also gone missing," Prometheus said. "Todreel never leaves his post for any reason. I fear the worst."

"Uncle Jesse should be home soon," Hunter told him. "Maybe he can help figure out what happened to your friend."

* * *

 _Heaven_

Samandriel and Todreel were sitting in Heaven's dungeon, sharing the same cell.

"I do not understand," Samandriel said. "What crime have I committed?"

"Apparently the Host doesn't like it when you come back from the dead without informing them," Todreel said. "And I guess it really pisses them off when you go on a secret mission to collect rogue angel grace before it falls into the wrong hands."

"Raphael had ordered it, surely they'll understand,"

"Raphael's dead," Todreel reminded him. "And no one else but Joshua knew about it. Hell, I'm not even sure if God himself knew what was going on."

"That kind of raises the question of why Raphael wanted the grace collected to begin with," Samandriel said. "It's not like there were that many depowered angels out looking for their lost grace, and most of them were banished with no memories of ever having grace to begin with."

Todreel just stared out of the bars. "Do you think he was using me? Like you think Lucifer was?"

"I know Lucifer was using you, he uses everyone," Samandriel reminded him. "The question is, why did Raphael really want all that grace?"

* * *

 _Kansas_

With no one around, the grace pool was left wide open for anyone to use it. When a mysterious figure arrived, it only took a handwave to remove the glamour and reveal the large deposit of angel grace. Virtually every drop on Earth was sitting before the figure. Shedding his clothes, the figure stepped into the pool, and within minutes began absorbing every ounce of grace into his body...

"I see some vines hanging down," Adam said as he sat next to Asher. "If I can get high enough, I can climb out and get help."

"What about the Wendigo?" Asher asked.

"I won't let it get me, and I'll leave you with the flamethrower," Adam said. "I won't leave you defenseless."

"Adam... if something did happen to Mike, I don't know what I'll do, he's all I have," Asher said. "He's my only family, my only... friend."

"That is not true," Adam told him. "You've got me, and Ben, and everyone else in our group. You're not alone, Asher. If the worst happened to Mike, you're always welcome to stay with us. You'll never be alone as long as I'm here."

A few moments of silence passed as the two began gently kissing, comforting each other as they sat in the darkened pit, with the kiss slowly becoming more passionate between them. After a minute of making out, Adam turned his attention toward the sound of a twig being stepped on up above.

"I think someone's coming," Adam said as he gently touched Asher's cheek. "Stay put, I'll deal with this," Adam stood up with the flamethrower. "Alright, who's up there? Show yourself!"

There was an awkward silence as Adam took a deep breath, waiting for something to happen. That was when a Wendigo dropped down into the pit, landing right in front of him. Before he could react, the Wendigo smacked Adam against the wall of the pit, knocking him unconscious.

"NO!" Asher screamed as he started pulling himself up, ignoring the pain. The Wendigo turned its attention toward Asher, ready to take him as well. "Come on, you son of a bitch."

The Wendigo rushed toward him, but Asher dived out of the way, grabbing the flamethrower. He rolled onto his back and lit the Wendigo on fire, killing it instantly. Asher fell back, breathing heavily as he lay next to Adam's unconscious body.

* * *

Ben came through the door, seeing Hunter sitting on the couch with Prometheus.

"What the hell's going on? I just came from Kansas. Where's Todreel?"

"I was hoping you could answer that question," Prometheus told him. "I went to the city to get some supplies and when I came back, he was gone."

"Okay, it's official, someone's kidnapping angels, and killing the ones that put up a fight, that must be how Joshua died," Ben concluded. "Okay, I say we wait for Adam, get in contact with Sam and Dean and hit this thing full force before anything worse happens. Where's Jesse?"

"He's been missing since yesterday afternoon," Hunter told him.

"And now that you mention it, Cole never came back, either," Ben said. "It might not just be angels that are being targeted. Prometheus, watch Hunter while I grab a quick shower. He could be a target for... whatever this is."

* * *

"Hello?" a voice shouted as Asher opened his eyes, looking up at the opening of he pit above him. Mike looked down at them and smiled. "Are you guys okay?"

"My leg is hurt and Adam's been knocked out!" Asher shouted. "I thought you were dead! I heard you scream!"

"Oh, I dropped my new phone in a mud puddle," Mike said innocently. "What's that smell?"

"We had a Wendigo roast," Asher shouted up at him. "Can you get us out?"

"I'll pull the truck around and drop a rope down!" Mike told him. "Hang tight, little brother!"

* * *

Adam woke up with a migraine at the Roadhouse hours later. He stumbled out into the hallway and down to Asher's room, where he was laying in bed with his patched up leg resting on a pillow.

"What happened?"

"Roasted the hell out of the Wendigo," Asher smirked. "Mike was alive, he got us out of that pit. How's your head?"

"Still attached to my body, so I can't complain," Adam said as he sat down on the bed. "I guess we should... talk."

"Yeah," Asher said as he looked away. "I really like you, Adam. Maybe more than I should. Do you think that we should-"

"I really care about you, Asher," Adam sighed. "You're a good kid. You're smart, handsome, and one hell of a hunter. But... we both just got out of relationships and we're both still really hurting. I want to try something with us, but at the same time I don't want you to be just some rebound romance. If we got together, I want it to be because it's real, and not just because we're both in pain from losing people we loved."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Asher said as Adam turned his back toward him. "I'm just tired of being alone."

"I told you, you are not alone," Adam smiled. "You ever feel like you need someone, you call me up, okay? I'll make the trip out to your college. We'll go on a hunt, or we'll stay in all night and watch Netflix and binge on junk food or whatever. You can call me whenever you need someone, got it?"

"Got it," Asher said.

"Look, maybe, I don't know, when we're not hurting as bad from Mason and Matt, when we know that we're ready to move on, we can start dating," Adam said. "I just want us to be sure that what we felt last night is real."

"Okay," Asher said as he started to smile. "You're right, I'm still hurting from losing Mason. I'll never stop loving him. He was my whole world."

"And I'm sure you were his," Adam said as they hugged. "Okay, I gotta get dressed and get going. You remember what I said. I'll always be there if you need me."

* * *

As Adam drove away, Mike watched him leave down the dirt road while sighing to himself.

"Dammit," Mike whispered.

"You know, I could still cast a love spell,"

"No," Mike said without turning around. "Adam and Asher have to fall in love on their own. No magic."

"I suppose that's a no on curing your little ailment as well?"

"I know what happens when you use magic to cheat death, it always comes back to bite you in the ass," Mike said. "Or the ass of someone you care about. When this timebomb in my head goes off, I'm going to go peacefully. And hopefully by the time this tumor kills me, Adam and Asher will be together. Adam's the one I want to take care of my kid brother when I'm gone."

"I thought for sure staging a Wendigo hunt would get them together, even if the Wendigo wasn't real," Mike turned toward the red-headed Scottish witch Rowena. "You repaid your debt by staging all that, you can leave."

"Oh, I don't know, I kind of want to see how this little fairy tale romance plays out," Rowena said. "Besides, Adam Milligan and his boys could probably use some help as well. Not that I haven't already been giving it," she said.

 _"Besides,"_ she thought to herself. _"Getting close to them could lead me to the demon tablet."_

* * *

A few hours later, Adam was driving down the highway when he hit speed dial on the dashboard mounted phone. No one at home was answering. He finally tried the main line, hoping everyone's phones were just on the charger.

"Hey, Hunter, it's Dad," Adam said as he focused on the road. "Look, I know things have been hectic lately, what with Samandriel going missing and all the chaos of the last week. I just feel like I haven't been spending enough time with my boy, so I want you to be dressed and ready by the time I get home. I'm taking you to your very first ball game. We're going to have the whole night, just you and me. No demons, no monsters, just father and son bonding. I'll see you when I get there, kid. I love you."

* * *

Adam's message came through on the answering machine at the house, where furniture had been overturned, and Hunter was laying in the middle of a shattered glass table. An unconscious Prometheus wasn't very far away, and Ben was laying face down the on the ground, wearing only a towel. Standing over them were the Wheat twins, Luke & Sandy. In front of them stood a black clad Asian woman, holding a sword and smiling as she bared her vampire fangs.

 _ **Next: Beginnings!**_


	36. The Brothers Colby, Part One

_Once upon a time, Sam and Dean Winchester passed through the town of Fitchburg while on the hunt for a Shtriga, a nightmarish monster that fed on children. On this adventure, they encountered Michael Colby, a young man whose brother Asher was one of the Shtriga's victims. With Michael's help, the monster was defeated and the children of Fitchburg, including Asher, were saved._

 _But now that Michael knew that there were things in the dark, his life would never be the same. He now knew there were monsters out in the world that would happily murder him and his family if given the chance. He just didn't know how close to home these monsters were, as a few short years later, a demon named Meg came to town looking for revenge on the Winchester brothers by killing everyone they had ever saved._

 _With the help of the Horseman Pestilence, Meg intended to cause all the children of the town to get sick and die of a new illness Pestilence had created. Michael fought back, and with the help of a hunter named Christian Campbell, stopped Meg and Pestilence, but not without a heavy cost._

 _Michael and Asher's mother had been murdered by Meg, and the motel they had spent their entire lives in had burned to the ground. The brothers, having nothing left in Fitchburg, set off to find a new home, eventually becoming hunters themselves, soon becoming allies of Adam and his team..._

 **Wayward Sons #29**

 **"The Brothers Colby, Part One"**

An out-of-the-way Roadhouse for hunters sat secluded just off the highway on an old dirt road. What used to be a two-story family home had been converted into a place for people to be protected against the likes of all sorts of monsters. Invisible warding, salt lined windows, wrought iron placed virtually everywhere, and demon traps hidden throughout the property.

The Roadhouse was ran by twenty-something Mike Colby, a high-school dropout who majored in demon-killing. He had shoulder length brown hair and was considerably bulky from years of working out to become a formidable foe against monsters even if he had no weapon in his hand.

Mike walked into his brother Asher's bedroom, where the younger brother was still confined to bed after having had his leg caught in a bear trap the day before*. Asher's leg was resting on a pillow, still bandaged. Asher would probably need something to lean on for a few days but otherwise he'd make a full recovery.

 _(*See the previous two issues)_

"Made you some soup, and picked up some comics ," Mike said as he set the tray in front of his brother.

"I haven't read a comic book since I was twelve," Asher told him. "Superheroes just aren't exciting anymore after you kill a Wendigo."

"I know, but remember when we were younger and I had to take care of you while you were sick when Mom had to work?" Mike asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'd skip school, make you some soup and get you some comics. Then we'd watch cartoons all day until you felt better."

"Mike, we're not kids anymore, I got hurt on a hunt," Asher told him. He was no longer that scrawny boy that Mike had kept on eye on since the day their father walked out on them shortly after Asher was born. Now Asher was a good six feet tall with neatly trimmed black hair and a muscular frame that he often kept hidden under long sleeved shirts, as he still had body image issues from his early teens that immediately resurfaced after his husband's death. "I'm in college and you keep treating me like I'm nine. I'm an adult, I was married for five minutes. I've probably been laid more than you ever have... Sorry, didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Mike told him, having learned about his true sexuality living on the streets years ago during an encounter with a grateful prostitute he'd saved. "I'm not ashamed that I'm asexual. I've been used to it for a long time. But you're my kid brother, I've been watching out for you since we left Fitchburg.*"

 _(*The Something Wicked This Way Returns mini-series)_

"Since Mom died," Asher said sadly. "We never did find the demon that did it."

"Some day, little brother, someday," Mike promised him, unaware that Meg had died years ago. "That's a hunt we'll do as a team, just the Colby brothers vs. that demon bitch."

"You know, I could go for some cartoons right now," Asher said as he tried to scoot over. Mike got on the bed beside him as he turned the t.v. on. "I don't think we've bonded like this since the last time I was layed up in bed after a hunt."

"Yeah, I remember that," Mike told him. "The night I almost lost you for good."

* * *

 _Years Ago_

Mike was out at the range, practicing his target shooting alongside his surrogate father, Gary. Mike and Asher were taken in a few years earlier when Gary had chanced up upon the boys living on the streets during a hunt, when he found Mike digging through a dumpster for food for his starving brother. When the boys proved they could hold their own against demons, Gary took them in to train them as hunters.

"You're getting better," Gary said as he watched Mike hit every target. "But you're still hesitating between shots. You need to be quicker on the trigger, son. If those cans were actual threats, your neck would already be broken."

"Sorry, sir," Mike said as he put the gun down. "It's just... I keep seeing that demon Meg every time I aim."

"I know you want the demon that killed your mom," Gary said as he put both hands on the boy's shoulder. "I have contacts that are on the lookout for her. We'll find her, I promise. What do you say we round up your brothers and get washed up for dinner."

"I think Asher and Mason were in the barn, sparring," Mike told him.

"Those boys really do like spending all of their time together," Gary said. "It's good that Asher's learned to bond with someone. Mason's really brought him out of his shell."

* * *

Asher landed hard on his back, feeling the cold cement under his back as Mason held him down.

"We probably should have kept our shirts on," Asher said as Mason smirked. Every urge Mason had was to lean down to kiss the other boy, but he knew he had to resist. No one in his family knew he was gay, and to tell anyone that was feeling something for his adopted brother... Mason decided long ago that he needed to be tough to survive as a hunter, and in his mind, being gay didn't factor into that equation.

"What's this 'we' stuff? You haven't pinned me once," Mason said as he helped Asher to his feet.

"Well, you are stronger than me," Asher said as he looked down at his scrawny frame. "You have a good twenty-five pounds of muscle on me."

"It's not about muscle, it's out-maneuvering your opponent," Mason told him. He knew that Asher was right, he was small for his age, which is why Mason was working extra hard to help him bulk up. "You could absolutely take me if you focused harder. Or if you stopped staring at my chest."

"I- I wasn't-"

"Dude, we need to acknowledge the elephant in the room," Mason said, wondering if Asher really did feel the same way. Not that he could act on it, but to know that boy he had a crush on could possibly return his feelings, it would help ease the pain of keeping himself in the closet. "Are you into me?"

"I- but- you see- it's just that... I think there's something wrong with me," Asher stammered nervously. Mason just chuckled as he tossed Asher a towel. Before he could tell Asher there was nothing wrong with him, Gary walked into the barn.

"Dinner's almost ready boys, get cleaned up," Gary told them as he saw Asher's reddened back. "Mason, lighten up on the body slams. We can repair the practice dummies, we can't fix Asher if you break him in two."

"Yes, sir," Mason said as he took a long drink of water from his bottle, noticing Asher was walking away in embarrassment. "Asher, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," Asher told him as he headed to the door. "I get it. Not like someone like you would ever go for a wimp like me anyway. Just don't tell Mike that I like guys, okay? I don't need him being ashamed of me, too."

* * *

The family ate dinner in awkward silence before Gary decided to speak up. "Mason, your mother and I are leaving on a hunt in an hour. We'll leave you in charge while we're gone. We just got a call asking for help before dinner, so we're leaving right after."

"A hunt? Why aren't we going?" Mason asked.

"Because this one might be too much for you boys, there's a pack of werewolves terrorizing a little town in Jacksonville. We want to contain this before it spreads."

"That's only a couple of towns from Patrick Wheat's farm," Mason said. "Come on, Dad, take us with you. I've been wanting to hang out with Ben again."

"I said no," Gary told them. "We don't know how many of these things there are. Tomorrow's the last full moon for a while, we want to take these things out before they multiply even further."

"Which is why you need us," Mason told him. "Strength in numbers, right? You keep saying that someday I'll be ready for a big hunt, well maybe it's time. You have to trust me sometime, right, Mike?"

"Hey, I'm up for it, but I don't think Asher should-"

"I'll go, I'm a big boy now, Mike," Asher said bitterly. "I can handle myself."

"Honey, you know they' ll just hotwire the truck and follow us anyway. Remember when Mason was eight and managed to get the truck two states over before he realized he was gone?" Gary's wife Linda asked. "It's best they be where we can keep on them. Plus, like Mason said, Patrick and his hunters aren't that far away, we can always call for them if we need to once we know what we're up against."

"Fine," Gary relented. His boys were strong willed, which was both a blessing and a curse. "We leave after dinner."

* * *

Mike and Asher were sharing a bedroom together, with their beds not too far away from each other, just like their old home in the motel before Meg had burned it to the ground.

"What's wrong with you tonight?" Mike asked as he packed an overnight bag before he looked over at Asher. "You're usually not this moody."

"I'm fine," Asher told him. "Nothing's wrong."

"But if there was something bothering you... you'd tell me, right?" Mike asked. "I'm your big brother, you can tell me anything. I'll always help you if you've got a problem, that's what I'm here for, to help."

"You can't help me with this," Asher said as he turned around and closed his eyes. "Nobody can."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the family got into the SUV, with Mike sitting between Mason and Asher, noticing neither was looking at the other.

"Did something happen between you two?" Mike asked as he looked between them. "It feels ice cold sitting here."

"It's fine," Mason said as he looked out the window. "I guess."

"Okay," Mike said as he leaned back, looking at his little brother. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Asher. You can go hang out with Ben at the farm if-"

"I said I'm going," Asher said angrily. "Stop treating me like a fucking child!"

"Okay, okay, chill, bro," Mike said, a little scared of Asher right now. "I'm just saying, you can talk to me... or not, I guess."

* * *

 _Jacksonville_

The SUV pulled into a parking lot that was practically empty as Gary and Linda exited the vehicle, where they began loading up on weapons from the back.

"I want you boys to stay here," Gary told them. "We'll do a little recon and find out what we're dealing with. If anything happens, Mason's in charge. Protect your brothers, Mason."

"Yes, sir," Mason told him. "Dad... come back safe."

As soon as the adults were gone, Asher got out of the SUV.

"Whoa, whoa, where are you going?" Mike asked.

"Gotta pee, is that okay with you?" Asher replied bitterly.

"Go in the alley," Mason told him. "I'll keep a lookout."

"Mason," Mike said as he grabbed Mason's arm as he got out. "What's going on with Asher? Did something happen between the two of you? Did you hurt him?"

"What? No!" Mason told him. "At least, I don't think I did. It's... kind of confusing. Asher... has a crush on me."

"I always did kind of think that Asher wasn't 100% straight," Mike said with a soft laugh. "He always did have that obsession with Justin Bieber that I couldn't figure out. I just wish he'd tell me how he felt. I mean, he's my brother, I don't care if he's gay. I still love the hell out of that kid. I'd die for him if it came down to it."

"And I think I might have a crush on him-"

Before the words finished coming out of his mouth, Mike's fist collided with Mason's jaw, sending him to the ground.

"What was that for!?" Mason asked as he felt his jaw.

"You bastard, Asher's only 15!" Mike shouted.

"And I'm 18, so?" Mason asked. "Is this about Asher being gay, or about the possibility that we could get together? Mike, have I ever let anything or anyone hurt him? Remember when we fought those vampires last year?"

"You tore them apart limb from limb," Mike remembered. "You didn't stop, even after their heads were cut off. One of them bit Asher."

"Why do you think I went ballistic?" Mason asked. "The second I saw Asher was hurt... something inside me snapped. I really care for him, Mike, it's been building since that night we killed that Wendigo. I just don't know how to tell him, or anyone else for that matter. It's like whenever I look at him, I just want to... protect him from all this evil."

"I feel the same way," Mike said. "He's the only family I have left. If I lost him, I don't know what I'd do. So, what do we do about this?"

"Would it be weird to ask permission to date your brother?"

"On the basis that I get to kick your ass if he gets hurt under your watch, plus one free punch right now,"

Mason stood up and rubbed his jaw. He knew how hard Mike could throw a punch, he'd be feeling that first hit for days to come. But this was for Asher, he was willing to take far worse just to be able to freely hold his hand. "It'll be worth it. Swing away, bro. I'll just get right back up and still want to tell Asher that I have feelings for him."

Mike got ready to punch him again with every ounce of force behind him when a scream was heard in the distance.

"Damn," Mason said. "Grab a weapon, that sounded like Mom. Looks like we're about to go into a fight."

"I'm still taking that punch after this is over. Asher, get your ass out here!" Mike shouted into the alley. "Asher?"

Mike got closer to the alley, wondering what was taking so long when Asher stumbled out, his chest bleeding from a nasty set of horizontal claw marks. "No, God please. Asher!"

Mike went to put his arm around Asher when he heard a growling. Several sets of yellow eyes were hidden in the darkness of the alley. Dragging Asher back, he bumped into Mason.

"Mike, I think we're in trouble," Mason told him as Mike looked back, seeing over a dozen werewolves. "The whole neighborhood, hell, the whole town is probably infected!"

"Then... the call your dad got..."

"It was a trap," Mason said. "They wanted hunters to show up. And we fell for it. Probably not even the first ones to get lured in."

"Mike?" Asher asked weakly.

"It'll be okay, buddy," Mike promised him. "We'll make these things pay."

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Mason asked the werewolves tossed the mutilated bodies of Gary and Linda in front of them. "NOOO!"

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	37. The Brothers Colby, Part Two

_Years Ago_

"My mom's out there, somewhere," sixteen-year-old Ben Braeden said as he took a slow drag of the joint in his hand. Next to him sat his mute friend Chad, who'd had his tongue bitten off by a vampire when he was a college student. "I'm gonna find her, you'll see."

The two hunters were sitting outside of their bedroom window on the slanted roof of the old farmhouse, watching over the place while the rest of the group were out hunting demons in town.

Ben passed the joint over to Chad, who noticed an SUV driving madly toward the farm. He nudged Ben, who looked out into the distance. "That's Gary's SUV."

The two young men raced downstairs to the front door, and upon opening it, found a badly beaten and bleeding Mike and Mason with their arms around Asher, who was bleeding worse than the others.

 **Wayward Sons #30**

 **"The Brothers Colby, Part Two"**

 _Jacksonville_

Her luxury Sedan having stalled in the small town, the red-headed woman had no choice but to wait for her car to be repaired. She'd hoped the car would be ready to go by sundown, but unfortunately wasn't the case, so she was making the best of it. Once the sun had set, she found herself in a bar, wondering why the men weren't approaching her like they usually did. She was a beautiful woman and was used to being hit on by all kinds of men, and the occasional woman.

Once the sun had set, Rowena immediately started to realize what kind of town she was in, and knew anyone else in her position would be in mortal danger. But Rowena wasn't normal.

Or a mortal.

* * *

Chad was patching up Mason as Ben walked out of the room that Asher had been taken too. He wasn't a doctor, but he was starting to pick up how to patch hunters up from the others. But poor Asher had really taken a slashing by the werewolf in the alley back in Jacksonville. Mike and Mason fought like hell, but in the end they knew that had to either stand their ground and die or flee and get help. They'd made it to the SUV and drove as fast as they could out of the town, hoping they'd find the old farmhouse that a group of hunters called home.

"He's lost a lot of blood," Ben said. "I tried fixing him up the best I could but-"

"But what?" Mike asked angrily as sat on the couch, nursing his own wounds.

"I'm surprised he survived the trip here," Ben told him. "A hospital probably could have-"

"The hospital's even further away from this farm," Mason said as Chad was sewing up a bad cut. "OW! Watch it, Chad, that's skin, not a torn t-shirt."

"He won't make it through the night," Ben said sadly as he stared down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Mike. There's literally nothing we can do for him now outside of making him comfortable until..."

"He's not dying," Mike said as he stood up. "He's going to be okay. He's survived way too much to die here. He's a strong kid, you'll see."

"Okay," Ben told him. "Okay. I'm going to go into the basement, see if I can dig up any more medical supplies. Maybe there's something stronger to try to hold him together."

Chad finished treating Mason's wounds when he stared over at Mike.

"I'll be fine," Mike told him. "I've had worse done to me. Is Asher at least... awake?"

"No, but that could change," Ben said as he headed to the basement.

Mason, holding his shirt in his hand, headed toward the bedroom. "I'm going to sit with Asher for a while. Let him know that we're here when he opens his eyes."

"Don't tell him about your parents," Mike said. "Bad news could-"

"Yeah, I know," Mason said as he walked into the bedroom, where Asher was laying on Ben's bed. His eyes were closed and he had blood and claw marks all over him. Mason tossed his shirt onto a chair and sat down next to Asher. "Hey, kid."

As Mike sat on the couch, tears started welling up in his eyes as he thought about all the people he'd lost over the last few years. His mother, friends who had died during Meg's rampage in Fitchburg, his adoptive parents, and now Asher could be dead by morning. Mike buried his head in his hands as he cried, glad that Asher wasn't awake to see his big brother looking so weak. It was then that the tears started turning into uncontrollable anger.

Five minutes later when Ben and Chad came back upstairs, Mike was gone. The door was standing open and the SUV was no longer in the driveway.

* * *

Asher moaned as Mason gently ran a hand through his hair.

"It's okay, buddy, I'm here," Mason smiled as Asher opened his eyes halfway.

"It hurts," Asher whispered.

"I know," Mason said. "But you're safe now. We're at the Wheat farm. Mike's just outside. Do you want to see him?"

"Don't let him see me like this," Asher said. "He already thinks I'm weak."

"What? No one thinks you're weak, Asher," Mason assured him. "You're one of the strongest people I know. You're brave, and smart, and you're one hell of a hunter. Remember that wendigo we killed? You took him down like a pro."

"Didn't want to see you hurt," Asher said. "Mason, I have to tell you something. In case I don't make it."

"Shhh," Mason whispered as he put two fingers on Asher's lips. "It's okay, Asher. I know. And you're going to survive, because you have a lot to live for. You've got monsters to kill and lives to save. And maybe... if you're up for it... our first date."

"Mason, are you-?"

Mason leaned down and gently pressed his lips to Asher's before pulling back.

" I've... been thinking of you ever since the night we killed that wendigo together. You were so strong and fearless. I was just too... ashamed to admit that I was into you. So don't you die on me, Asher. I'm not losing my first boyfriend to a werewolf."

" _First_ boyfriend? Who else are you planning on dating?" Asher told him as he tried to smile. "If I live, Mike probably won't be-"

"Mike will just have to deal with it," Mason promised him. "The whole world will, because I'm not backing down. You give me strength, Asher. And I want to give you strength to fight this, you hear me? You fight this, and you get out of this bed and be my hunting partner, got it? We'll be strong together."

* * *

"Back, ya beasts!" Rowena shouted, having found herself surrounded by werewolves. She'd managed to incinerate some of them with what limited magic she had, having had to reserve her powers for years due to being banished by the Grand Coven, but it wouldn't be enough to take out a small town. She was about to try another blast of magic when she was hit from behind, knocking the youthful looking witch out.

The werewolves were closing in when a whistle was heard from not too far away. Mike stood there with two silver machetes that Gary had specially made to kill werewolves and vampires. The one in his left hand was the one that Mason had used to defend Asher against vampires not too long before.

"You bastards killed my foster parents and my baby brother," Mike said in an angered voice. "Time to return the favor."

The werewolves charged just as Mike did, swinging a machete and cutting one of the monster's heads off. He went into a slide, cutting off the legs of another werewolf that howled in pain as he rolled before two others could grab him. He quickly got back to his feet, holding his machetes firmly, twirling and slashing at his enemies, cutting into them enough to send them stumbling back.

The more Mike thought about his dying baby brother back at the farm, the angrier he became, which led to wanting more of the werewolves dead. He was killing anything that came at him, but he couldn't see the carnage that he was inflicting. All Mike could see was the first time he got to hold his newborn brother. He could see the first time he had to look after Asher the day his father left and his mother was too distraught to make the boys dinner. Mike could see sending Asher off to his first day of school with a freshly made lunch. Mike had become the father that Asher never had, and didn't regret a day of it.

By the time Rowena opened her eyes, Mike was standing amidst a pile of werewolf corpses, drenched in blood from head to toe. Even soaked in red, the witch could tell that he was crying and unable to move.

"You saved me," Rowena said as she stood up and saw she didn't have a scratch on her. "Such a brave young man. A little blood-stained, but brave. Do you have a name, wee one?"

Mike just stood there, unresponsive as Rowena looked into his eyes. "Ah, I see, you lost a loved one to these monsters. If only I had my full powers, I'd have been more than happy to restore them as a reward to you."

"Dead should stay dead," Mike whispered while still unmoving. "My little brother's gone, I need to accept that everyone I love leaves me in the end."

Mike's cell phone started ringing as he slowly answered, expecting it to be the call that Asher was truly gone.

"MIke, get your ass back here!" Ben shouted. "Its Asher, he's asking for you. I- I think he's going to be alright. I don't know how, but he's fighting it, Mike. Get here quick."

Mike hung up and looked at Rowena. "Asher, he's going to be okay."

"Then it seems like I still owe you for saving me life," Rowena told him as she gave him a card. "When you need me, call that number. You'll be able to reach me anywhere at anytime."

She kissed his bloodied cheek as she started walking away.

* * *

Mike came running through the door, still covered in blood as Ben looked at him. "Uh, dude, you wanna like, shower first?"

"No time!" Mike shouted as he ran into the bedroom and started breathing heavily as he saw Asher in the bed, his eyes half-open.

"What happened to you?" Asher asked weakly.

"You don't want to know," Mike said as he took Asher's hand, squeezing it as he smiled. "You have no idea how happy I am right now. You're going to be okay, Asher. You're gonna be alright."

"Maybe," Asher said as he looked up at Mike. "Maybe not. Depends on how you feel about what I'm going to say to you. I'm gay, Mike. You need to know that your precious baby brother is a freak."

"You are not a freak, and I don't care that you're gay," Mike told him. "You're still the same brother I raised. I will never stop loving you. Never. You will always be the most important part of my life. I love you, kid."

"I love you, too," Asher said as Mike looked at him.

"I'd hug you, but I'm drenched in werewolf blood,"

* * *

A few days later after Patrick and the other hunters returned home, a hunter's funeral was held for Gary and Linda. Asher had to watch from the bedroom window as he was still too weak to get out of the bed, but Mason had stayed with him, holding his hand as they watched Mason's parents be cremated.

"You know you boys are welcome to stay here with us for as long as you need to," Patrick told Mason.

"I appreciate it, but Mike and I were talking about what we were going to do next, and I think it's a damn good idea," Mason told him. "We're going to convert my parent's house into a hunter's roadhouse. I remember the stories my dad used to tell me about a woman named Ellen who ran one for years. Hunters need a safe haven, just like you offered to us. It'll take a lot of work, but I think we can make it happen."

"Well, if you boys need help, just give us a call," Patrick promised him.

* * *

"I wish you guys didn't have to leave so soon," Ben said as Mike was helping Asher stand up from the bed. "You're like brothers to me."

"Well, we get the roadhouse up and running, and you're more than welcome to come stay with us," Mike said. "Besides, more hunters means more info on that demon who killed our mom."

"And the vampires who took yours," Asher said. "Finding your mom's one of the things we're going to try to do with the roadhouse."

Ben didn't know what to say as he pulled both of the brothers into a hug. "I love you guys so much. By the way," Ben said as he handed Mike a baggie with marijuana in it. "Asher's going to need this while he recovers. Those claw marks are going to be a pain to work through."

"I am not getting my brother hooked on pot," Mike said as he tossed the baggie onto the bed. When he wasn't looking, Asher shoved it into his pocket.

* * *

 _Now_

"I'm sorry for being a dick toward you when you've just been looking out for me," Asher said. "I keep forgetting how much you've given up to keep me in line."

"I haven't given up anything," Mike told him. "I have the roadhouse and I have you. I don't need anything else. And someday, the roadhouse will be all yours."

"Not anytime soon I hope," Asher said. "Mike, I think we should go help find Samandriel."

"You're still injured," Mike told him.

"It's not like I'm going to be running," Asher said. "If all else I can, I don't know, watch Hunter while you guys do the heavy lifting. Adam and Ben need us."

"Adam, huh?" Mike asked. "You really like him, don't you?"

"He's a good guy," Asher told him. "He's nothing like Mason, but... he's got a good heart."

"Okay, buddy, I'll go pack a few things and we'll hit the road," Mike said as he got up. "Probably should call Adam and let him know we're coming."

As Mike left the room, Asher just stared up at the ceiling. "Hey, Mason, I know you probably can't hear me, but... you probably saw with me Adam last night. I really like him, but... I don't know if I'm ready to move on from you, or if I ever will be. You're my first love. We should have been together for the rest of our lives. I just miss you so much. No one's ever going to be the man you were in my heart."

"Adam's not answering, he's probably charging his phone," Mike said as he came back in. "Let's get you dressed and we'll hit the road."

* * *

 _Windom, Minnesota_

Adam pulled into the driveway and headed toward the house, not realizing that he was about to be ambushed by Patrick Wheat's sons and a ninja vampire while Prometheus, Hunter and Ben were all unconscious on the living room floor.

 _ **Next: Interview WIth the Alpha Vampire!**_


	38. Interview With The Alpha Vampire 1

_Years Earlier_

Two police officers stood in the alley where a young man was laying on the ground with puncture wounds on his neck, along with two bloodied arms. The neck of his shirt had been ripped open to give the vampires more access to his neck and throat.

"Witnesses saw this kid and an older woman walk into this alley, but they never came out," the first officer said. "So where's the woman?"

"Think she kacked the kid?" the other officer asked.

"Let's find her and see," the first officer said.

"Officers, this boy is alive," the ambulance worker told them as he kneeled over the body of Ben Braeden. "Looks like you've got a witness. We need to get him to the hospital now if we want to save him."

"Why'd you stop us from chowing down on her?" the vampire asked as the Alpha Vampire stood in front of the group that had just drained most of Ben's blood. They had taken an unconscious Lisa to a local abandoned warehouse after she'd passed out seeing when seeing the vampires start biting Ben's neck and arms. If the Alpha Vampire hadn't arrived at just the right moment, they would have started in on Lisa right after they finished with Ben.

"Because... she interests me," the Alpha Vampire told them.

 **WAYWARD SONS #31**

 **"Interview With the Alpha Vampire, Part One"**

 _One Day Earlier_

"Alright, Jesse, time to go to the Empty," Cole said as he arrived in the large grassy field. "Sorry, bud, you're dead. I felt it happen, so there's no use trying to run. Ben tried that once and... well, he didn't stay dead, but I would have had him if Adam hadn't made that deal. Jess? Come on out, buddy."

A hand landed on Cole's shoulder as the young reaper turned around, which is when Jesse put a finger to his forehead to render him unconscious. Cole fell into the grass as Jesse stood over him.

"The only reason you're not dead is because I don't need word getting out that I'm back," Jesse said. "Especially to the Winchesters. By the time you wake up, you won't even remember why you came here."

Jesse turned around as his eyes started to glow bright blue. "Let the games begin."

* * *

 _Now_

Ben Braeden pulled off his shirt after turning on the shower. The young hunter needed time to think as he continued to strip down before getting under the spraying water and getting his hair wet. He was still trying to locate his missing mother and now his good friend Samandriel had gone missing with no trace. Angels were dying or disappearing, and now the Reaper that had been assigned to Ben's group of hunters had gone missing as well. Something huge was happening and Ben couldn't figure out what. As he put a hand against the wall and enjoyed the peace for a few moments, he wished that some clue would reveal itself so that at least one of those mysteries could be solved.

As Ben showered, he didn't know that downstairs one of the mysteries really was about to solve itself...

* * *

"So, you're really immortal?" Hunter asked as he sat on the couch with Prometheus. "So no one can hurt you?"

"Oh, I can still be hurt, but I just can't die," Prometheus said. "At least not by normal means. But yeah, I'm pretty much going to look like this forever."

"I wish I didn't have to grow up," Hunter said.

"Don't say that kid, at least you get to enjoy your teen years. I spent a thousand years chained to a rock," Prometheus told him. "I missed everything in my childhood."

"Maybe you can enjoy some of it now," Hunter said as he stood up. "Want to play a board game while we wait for Ben?"

"Sure, kid, what do you got?"

"Well, we have-" Hunter started to say as he felt a sting in his neck. He started getting dizzy as the room started spinning. "Wha-?"

Hunter's eyes rolled back as he fell forward, shattering the glass table in front of him.

"Oh, crap!" Prometheus shouted as he got up to check Hunter's pulse. "Come on, kid, don't be de-"

A dart flew into Prometheus's neck as he stood up, pulling it out. Two more flew into his chest as he saw two twin teenage boys at the window. He pulled out his sword and rushed for the window as more darts flew at him, deflecting them with his sword.

"He's not stopping!" Luke shouted. Just before Prometheus could get to them, a fist plowed into the demigod's jaw. A black-clad Asian female started delivering more punches as Prometheus started to become more dazed as the drugs from the darts began to kick in.

"Who are you?" Prometheus asked as the female continued delivering hits as the demigod grew weaker until he finally hit the ground, unconscious to the world.

"Where's the one we came for?" Sandy asked as he climbed through the window, followed by his twin brother Luke. They were seventeen-year-old identical twins, with the only difference between the two being that Sandy's dark blonde hair was longer and shaggier while Luke's was shorter and clean-cut.

"Probably upstairs," Luke told him as he pulled a knife out of a sheath on his belt. "Let's go get him."

"No," the woman named Josei said. "He will come down to us."

* * *

A few towns over, the teenage vampire Connor stood over the bodies of three dead demon inhabited humans who had invaded a pre-school, including the teacher. Before killing them, Connor had learned something very interesting about what was happening in Hell without Lucifer or Crowley there to lead them.

Luckily the children were all taking a nap at the time, so they didn't have to see three possessed people be murdered. After calling 911 to get someone there to watch the children, Connor was about to head out the door when he grabbed his head in pain.

"Attention all of my wayward children," the Alpha Vampire's voice telepathically boomed inside of his head. "I know I normally only contact you one at a time when needed, but this is a very special invitation. Your Lord and master is getting married, and I invite ALL of my children to attend. The invite is for vampires only, and will be held at-"

"I have to tell Mike and Asher," Connor said as he stumbled through the door.

* * *

Ben wrapped a towel around his waist and headed downstairs. "Hey, Hunter, I'm out of clean shirts. Think Adam would mind if I borrowed- Hunter!?"

Ben saw Hunter lying in the shattered glass as he started to race downstairs before he stopped and realized something else was off. He slid one of the photos hanging on the staircase wall back and pulled out a knife as he slowly made his way downstairs. As he turned the corner, he caught Luke's hand before it could land a punch and kneed him in the stomach.

Sandy grabbed Ben from behind, who elbowed his attacker before flinging him over his shoulder. Luke ran toward him as Ben used his knife hand to block and uppercut Luke, sending him onto his back. He saw Josei coming up behind him thanks to the reflection of a mirror in front of him and got ready to attack when Sandy used his own knife to cut Ben's leg. He stumbled as Josei stuck and extra large dose of tranquilizer into his neck. As fast as he was weakening, Ben continued to put up a fight against the trio until he finally passed out on the floor, which is when the phone rang with a message from Adam.

 _"Hey, Hunter, it's Dad. Look, I know things have been hectic lately, what with Samandriel going missing and all the chaos of the last week. I just feel like I haven't been spending enough time with my boy, so I want you to be dressed and ready by the time I get home. I'm taking you to your very first ball game. We're going to have the whole night, just you and me. No demons, no monsters, just father and son bonding. I'll see you when I get there, kid. I love you."_

"Great, another one's coming," Sandy as he grabbed Prometheus' head by the hair and lifted up his head, putting a knife at his neck. "Let's kill these two, grab the kid and go."

"No, we don't kill our enemies when they can't fight back," Josei told him. "Leave them be."

"Are you insane? If we let them live, we'll have hunters all over our asses!" Sandy shouted as he found a sharp blade at his own throat.

"The Master put me in charge of this mission, and I say we don't kill them unless they give us a reason to," Josei said as Sandy let Prometheus's head go. "Now, get Ben out to the van and we'll be gone before anyone else shows up."

"Should we get him a pair of pants or something?" Luke asked as he looked down at Ben. "I mean, enemy or not, the kid shouldn't be dragged out of the house naked."

"He's wearing a towel," Sandy said as he grabbed Ben's arms. "Afraid of seeing something you don't like, bro? Grab his legs and help me carry him out."

Luke grabbed Ben's ankles just as they heard a car pulling into the driveway.

"Damn," Luke said. "Now what?"

"I'll deal with him," Josei told them. "Be ready to move once I've knocked him out."

"Knocked him out?" Luke asked. "Just kill him!"

"I'm not killing a Winchester, they never stay dead," Josei told him. "I heard this one's already been to Hell. Hell is like Spring Break for their family."

"Fine," Luke said as he looked at Sandy. "Move once he's away from the door."

A few moments passed, but nothing happened. "Where is he?"

A bullet rang out, grazing Sandy's arm, causing him to drop his half of Ben.

"Hey, douchebags!" Adam shouted from the kitchen door. "You left the door standing wide open! That's like a calling card saying 'we're invading your personal space!'"

"Get him out of here." Josei said.

"But my arm!" Sandy said as Josei stuck her finger into the wound deeper than the bullet that grazed him, causing Sandy to scream in pain.

"Go. NOW!"

As they started picking Ben up, Josei drew her sword and headed toward the kitchen where Adam popped up from the counter and started firing. Josei deflected all the bullets as she ran forward. Adam jumped over the counter, still firing. Once he was out of bullets, he just used his feet to kick her away as he backed against the countertop.

"I don't know what you want with my buddy there, but you're not taking him on whatever road trip you're planning!" Adam said. "Now just put him down gently and-" Adam was cut off by seeing Hunter unconscious among the shattered glass table, but could tell the boy was at least breathing. And that's when Adam the hunter shut down and Adam the papa wolf came out. "Hunter? Oh, you bitch, now I'm angry!"

"Then come on," Josei said. "If you wish to avenge the boy, then fight me."

Adam picked up a broken leg from the glass table to defend himself. "Your funeral."

"Should we stay?" Luke asked Sandy. "I kind of want to see this."

"Nah, we'd better get this guy out to the van before he wakes up," Sandy told him. "Shouldn't keep the master waiting. Just imagine bro, we deliver this kid and our future's set. The day we turn eighteen the master himself will turn us. We'll be vampires forever."

"Yeah, I can hardly wait," Luke said flatly as they carried Ben out.

Josei swung her sword as Adam tried to block with the table leg, only to find it getting cut off piece by piece until there was nothing left.

"Do you also do circumcisions?" Adam asked as he tossed the last piece of wood, hitting Josei in the head. Adam went to tackle her, trying to pin Josei down. "This is for my kid!"

Before Adam could land a punch, Josei produced a smaller knife and shoved it into Adam's stomach. Before he could pull it out, Josei punched him, causing Adam to fall back and hit the back of head on the corner of a nightstand next to the couch. He hit the floor as blood started dripping onto the floor.

"You put up a decent fight, I respect you for that," Josei said as she grabbed her knife. "I hope you're at peace now."

PIcking up her sword, Josei left the house, closing the door behind her. Not too soon after, Hunter started waking up with cuts on his arms and hands but otherwise fine.

"That sucked," Hunter said as he saw the living room had been trashed, with Prometheus passed out not too far away. Then he saw his father. "Dad?"

Hunter rushed over, nudging him to wake up, his voice shaking as he held onto Adam. "Daddy, wake up. Please!"

And that's when he noticed the blood in his father's chest and head. "No..." and then from there, more horrible thoughts started coming. People were going to blame him for this. The half-demon boy who killed his own father. They'd come, see Adam's body and claim that Hunter caused all this damage, then they'd do horrible things to him. Hunter cried uncontrollably as he held his father in his arms. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm so sorry."

By the time Prometheus woke up, Hunter was already gone, realizing he'd have to leave his new life behind now before his father's friends could turn on Hunter and kill him for what they think he'd done to Adam.

* * *

Ben opened his eyes, looking around with blurred vision. He tried to move, but found his hands were bound, keeping him tied to a pole. As his vision came back into focus, he found himself standing in fancy room with beautiful paintings on the wall and expensive antiques everywhere. He'd been dressed in a nice suit with a black tie, although he was still barefoot.

"Where am I?" Ben asked.

"The Alpha Vampire's mansion," Sandy said as he stood watch at the door. "Sorry about not getting you any shoes. We thought the ones we had ready would fit, Bigfoot, so you'll just have to do without. At least you're not just wearing a towel."

"Why am I here?"

"We'll let the master explain that to you," Sandy told him. "In the meantime, relax."

* * *

In another part of the mansion, the Alpha Vampire was walking down the hallway with Ben's mother, Lisa.

"I have a surprise for you, my love," the Alpha Vampire told her. "It's something I know you've wanted for a long time."

"I can't wait to see it," Lisa told him. "The suspense is killing me."

 _ **Next: Family Reunion**_


	39. Interview With the Alpha Vampire 2

_14 Years Ago_

Patrick Wheat's wife lay dead on the floor, her blood having been drained by the trio of vampires standing over her. The deceased woman had bite marks all over neck and arms as the vampires wanted every last drop of blood from the wife of the man who hunted them more viciously than any hunter out there.

"Hey, look what I found!" one of the trio said as the vampires found sleeping twin boys laying in a bed, with one holding the other tightly as if he were protecting his twin. "Dessert."

"Do not touch them," the Alpha Vampire said calmly as he suddenly appeared at the door. "These boys are going to live."

"They're Wheat's sons!" the leader of the trio shouted. "If we let them live, they'll grow up to be hunters and come after us! We need to kill them n-"

 _ **CRACK!**_

Before the vampire could finish his sentence, his head had been torn clean off of his body by the Alpha Vampire, who held the head by the hair in one hand while the body fell to the ground, lifeless.

"Does anyone else have anything to add?" the Alpha Vampire asked as the other two nodded 'no'. "Good. Have a room prepared at my compound. These boys are my property, now. I have big plans for them."

 **Wayward Sons #32**

 **"Interview With the Alpha Vampire, Chapter Two"**

 _Current Day_

Mike and Asher were on the highway in their old blue and white pick-up truck, headed toward Adam's house in Windom to help them find the missing Samandriel.

"You know, I've been thinking," Mike said as he focused on the road. "Maybe I should take a leave of absence from the Roadhouse for a while. I've got people who can run it for me. I kind of want to be closer to you for a while, get to know my kid brother again."

"Oh, jeez, Mikey," Asher said. "You're not going to be one of those helicopter brothers are you? I get into one bad relationship..."

"It's not just that," Mike told him. "The whole thing with losing Mason and a hunter's life in general. Any day could be our last. I just want to get in as much quality time with you before the worst happens."

"The worst already happened, we lost mom and our foster parents and I lost Mason," Asher reminded him. "I'm not losing you, I know you. You wouldn't let anything keep you down. You've been the guy who's protected me my entire life. You were the closest thing I ever had to a father. You've been the only constant thing in my life."

"Well, someday you'll meet a new guy and he'll be the one to watch over you," Mike said as he pulled into the driveway of Adam's house.

"I'll always need my big brother," Asher said as he knocked on the door. "But that doesn't mean I need a man to watch me. I'm not 12 anymore. I can watch out for myself."

Prometheus opened the door and stared at his friends.

"Get in here, it's really bad." Prometheus told them.

* * *

Mike, Asher and Prometheus met up with Connor at a diner an hour later.

"At least Adam's alive," Mike said.

"Yeah, but he was bleeding badly and the doctors aren't even sure if he'll make it through surgery," Asher said, his voice shaking. "We just saw him this morning."

Mike put a hand on Asher's shoulder. "He's a hunter, he's going to pull through. Anyone call his brothers?'

"Just keep getting voicemail," Asher told them. "And now Ben and Hunter are missing."

"And I didn't see the jerk who knocked me out, I just got a glimpse of the freakin' Weasely twins," Prometheus said. "Why would they take Ben and Hunter?"

"Hunter's part demon, and Ben is Dean Winchester's son, probably a trap to lure Sam and Dean in," Mike suggested. "Think it has something to do with Samandriel's disappearance?"

"Dead and missing angels, Ben and Hunter getting kidnapped, Jesse going missing...What's the connection?" Asher asked.

"Here's another weird one, the Alpha Vampire's getting hitched," Connor told them. "I got the telepathic invite early this morning. Apparently all vampires are invited."

"Who cares? Our buddies are missing," Mike said. "And we have zero clue how all of these missing pieces fit, not to mention that we're running low on hunters here. Too bad none of us are psychic."

The four young men just stared at each other, realizing that maybe they did have a psychic to turn to.

"Okay, two hunters, a vampire and a demigod. I guess we're a team now," Mike told them. "We just need a leader."

"That's you, bro." Asher said as he patted Mike on the shoulder as the group got up to leave.

"I'm not a leader," Mike told them.

"You saved our hometown back when Meg had everyone possessed." Asher reminded him.

"And you stepped up when everyone was under Dawn's control." Prometheus said.

"And you took me in and offered me a place with your family," Connor said. "Sounds like leader material to me. So let's go get that psychic and track down our buddies."

* * *

In the Alpha Vampire's mansion, Ben was struggling to get his hands free, which were currently bound behind his back and keeping him attached to a support beam in the middle of the room.

"You're not a vampire," Ben said as he looked at Sandy. "And you look familiar."

"I'm not a vampire... yet," Sandy told him. "In one week I turn eighteen and the master will make me and my twin brother Luke immortal. We'll be powerful and unstoppable."

"Twins? Luke?" Ben said as he thought about it. "Mother fu-"

The Alpha Vampire arrived and put a hand on Sandy's shoulder. "Go join your brother in preparing for the wedding. i'm ready to present my gift to the bride."

"Yes, master," Sandy said as he left.

"Benjamin Braeden," the Alpha Vampire said as he walked in. "We meet at last. I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time."

"What is this? Revenge for my dad killing you sons of bitches?" Ben asked. "Give me a machete and I'll triple his numbers."

"Oh, this has nothing to do with your father," the Alpha Vampire said as he moved Ben's hair out of his eyes. "This is about your mother."

"You bastards took my mom away from me," Ben said through gritted teeth. "Where is she?"

The door opened and Lisa walked in, seeing Ben tied to the pole. "Is that-?"

The Alpha Vampire just smiled. "My gift to you, my love."

"Mom?" Ben said in a low whisper as he tried to hold back the tears. "You're alive?"

"Better than alive, baby," Lisa told him as she stroked his cheek. "Far better. And now thanks to my true love, we can be together again forever."

* * *

 _Lawrence, Kansas_

The pick-up truck pulled up to the police station where sheriff Lucas Barr was finishing the paperwork for a jaywalker, which was the worst thing to happen in the town since Dawn took it over.

"You guys again?" Lucas asked as the quartet walked in. "Don't tell me something else is about to hit the fan. I was barely able to convince the town that the last time was just a gas leak making them hallucinate."

"It's bad, but not that bad," Mike said. "We need to see Missouri, but her house is boarded up."

"Missouri's gone," Lucas said. "Packed up her things, sold her house and moved right after that demon business. Said she wanted to be closer to her son and granddaughter."

"Damn," Mike said. "What about Ritchie? Is he still in town?"

"I don't know how much use he'll be too, that kid's been taking a lot of hits lately," Lucas told them. "First his mom kicked him out for being gay, then MIssouri left town. He's staying on my couch if you want to talk to him, but the man's a big sack of depression lately."

"It's worth a shot," Asher told Mike. "We do need a psychic."

* * *

 _Heaven_

"There has to be a way out of here," Samandriel said as he stared outside of the bars.

"You've been saying that for weeks," Todreel told him as sat with his back against the wall. "And you still haven't found a way out. But that's always been you, Samandriel. You've never been one to give up or back down. I guess that's part of why I... cared for you back then."

"You've been keeping track of the time?'

"My vessel was good at that," Todreel said. "He would keep note of what times a girl he liked would be at certain places."

"A stalker, Todreel. Your host body was a stalker," Samandriel told him. "And why you did you pick a vessel that was so... young?"

"I didn't choose this body for its strength," Todreel told him. "I chose him for his willpower. He managed to survive being hit by a truck. His body was dying, but his mind, Samandriel, his mind was capable of so much. It's served me well, given me the subconscious willpower to carry on to fulfill Raphael's orders."

"And why would Raphael want so much grace in one place?" Samandriel asked. "No angel alive would be able to wield so much power. I just absorbed enough to get my wings back. I would have exploded if I took any more."

"Idiots," a voice as the two angels turned their heads, looking at the door where Lucifer flashed a smile at them. "You haven't figured it out, have you?"

"What are you doing here?" Samandriel asked.

"Samandriel, Heaven's most adorable angel," Lucifer said. "You even chose an adorable meatsuit," Lucifer looked Todreel. "And you are...?"

"Todreel, I was loyal to you," Todreel said as he approached the bars. "I was one of your most loyal followers."

"So loyal that you followed me all the way to Hell," Lucifer said. "Oh, wait, you totally didn't because I'd have remembered an ass-kissing little runt attached to my backside."

"How did you get into Heaven?" Samandriel asked.

"Oh, didn't you hear?" Lucifer asked. "I'm running this joint now. Heaven is mine, boys. I'm King now."

"What about Hell?" Todreel asked.

"Oh, yeah, that place," Lucifer said. "Turns out that there's a new boss downstairs. And thanks to you, he's got enough power to take over everything. Way to break things, kid."

"Lucifer, if something bad is happening, we can help," Samandriel told him. "The other angels and myself can-"

"Whoa, hold it, did you just refer to yourself as an angel?" Lucifer asked. "You were never an angel, Sammy. You were my father's lapdog, a pet he could scratch behind the ears to make himself feel better. You were never one of us. Father made you solely for himself to love, which is why everyone in Heaven hated your guts. So why don't you just sit here like the little pound puppy you were created to be and let the actual angels to their thing."

Lucifer vanished as Samandriel just stood there, staring down with his eyes closed as the words stabbed him like a knife. Todreel put a hand on his arm.

"He's wrong, you were always more than a pet," Todreel said. "You meant something to me."

* * *

 _Hell_

 _Hours Earlier_

Streaks of lighting started flowing around the doors just before they were thrown open. Standing in the smoke that was filtering into the room stood a young man with the silhouette of large black wings behind him.

"That's not Lucifer," one of the nearby demons whispered as Jesse stormed into the room, heading toward the throne. As two demons approached, Jesse just snapped his fingers and disintegrated them.

"No, it is not Lucifer you fools," Jesse said as he sat on the throne. "And it's not that loser Crowley. You now have competent leadership, ladies and gentlemen. I'm taking over, and I'm kicking this place back into shape because I need an army."

"An army? For what?" a demon asked.

"What the hell do you think?" Jesse asked with a vicious smirk. "We're going to do what we were always meant to do. We're going to claim Earth and make humanity our bitch. But first we need to deal with a few... obstacles. In short order, Lucifer, the angels, the hunters, and most of all, the Winchesters."

* * *

Sandy returned to his room in the Alpha Vampire's mansion, where Luke was getting dressed for the wedding. Both brothers were identical with reddish-blonde and fairly well built due to the lifetime of training.

"It's going to happen, brother," Sandy said as he lifted his own shirt over his head. "I think the master is pleased that we brought that hunter. We're only days away from becoming immortal."

"Yeah." Luke said as he buttoned his dress shirt.

"You don't seem to be excited for this," Sandy told him. "We've been waiting for this for years."

"Something doesn't feel right about this," Luke said as he turned around to see Sandy standing there in his boxers. "I mean, that kid we knocked out, what if he's seriously hurt? Did you see the look on his dad's face? I think we crossed the line. What if we came from a home like that? What if our real dad had the look on his face when the Alpha Vampire took us in?"

"He said he rescued us from a horribly abusive family where we would have died," Sandy told him. "Why would the master lie to us?"

"Neither of us remember life before the master," Luke said. "Don't you want to know the truth? I think that hunter knows something about where we came from, I could see it in his eyes."

"No, I want to focus on the future," Sandy said as he started getting dressed. "You should, too. We have so much to look forward to. Besides, the hunter will be one of one us soon, then you can ask him all the questions you like."

* * *

 _Windom_

"Excuse me, I want to check on the status of me nephew who was brought in a few hours ago, his name is Adam Milligan."

The clerk at the hospital desk stared up at the screen as he typed in the information. "He's just coming out of surgery and is in the intensive care ward. He can't have any visitors just yet."

As the clerk looked up, he saw no one standing there.

Adam was laying comatose in a bed as the red-headed woman approached him. Rowena gently touched his cheek as she placed a hex bag in the nightstand next to the bed.

"Sleep now, Adam," Rowena told him as she took the young hunter's hand. "You deserve to rest for a little while. This hex bag isn't lethal, just think of it as a sleep aid while you heal. Don't worry, I'll take good care of that darling little boy of yours until it's time for you to wake up."

She kissed his forehead softly before disappearing.

* * *

Ritchie was laying on the couch, just staring at a blank t.v. screen as Lucas let the hunters in.

"Ritchie?" Mike asked. "We need your help. A lot of people have gone missing and we need your help to find them."

"I can't," Ritchie said without staring up at them. "I've already lost too much to get back into doing the psychic thing. My mom was never alright with me having those powers, I guess being gay was the final straw. Now I've lost my mentor. Who will I lose next if I use my powers?"

"Hunter's gone missing." Asher told him, which got the young man's attention. He sat up and stared at the boys. Hunter, his new friend that he had a strong psychic bond with? He forced all of depression aside as soon as he heard the boy's name.

"I need to go to where he was last was."

After getting dressed, the others headed out to the truck, leaving Ritchie and Lucas standing inside the house.

"You be careful." Lucas told him as he put his hands on the young man's shoulders.

"You could come with me." Ritchie said.

"The sheriff can't go on a road trip,I'm needed here," Lucas said with a slight laugh. "But you call if you need anything, got it? I'll be on the road the second you call if you run into trouble," Lucas looked around to make no one was looking as he gently kissed Ritchie. Their relationship hadn't been revealed to the world yet, which was something they were planning when Ritchie turned eighteen soon."I love you."

"I love you, too," Ritchie said as they hugged. After the incident with Dawn, the two realized there was something between them as things started returning to normal, leading to a slow building relationship that they planned to explore further once Ritchie was of age. "I'll be back soon."

Ritchie headed out to the truck with the others as Lucas watched them drive off, thankful that something was finally bringing the young man back out of his shell again.

* * *

Ben looked at his mother as the tears fell down his face. "I've looked for you for so long. You've been here the whole time?"

"Yes, baby," Lisa said as she touched his cheek. "I wanted to see you, but when I found out you were in that coma, I couldn't bare to see you like that. By the time I found out you were awake, you'd already disappeared. It took us a while to track you down."

"Us?"

"Me and your new father," Lisa said as she looked at the Alpha Vampire. "You're just in time to see the wedding."

"Mom, you can't marry that guy, he's a vampire!" Ben told her.

"We both are," Lisa said to a horrified Ben as she showed him her fangs. "And I've got good news. After the wedding, I'm going to make you a part of this family again. We'll be together again, Ben. This time, forever."

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	40. Interview With the Alpha Vampire 3

Hunter Milligan found himself sitting in the corner of the cabin where it had all began. The cabin where he'd been locked in the cellar for the first ten years of his life, with zero contact with his mother beyond the odd tossing of food down to him. The cellar itself was still standing wide open, with a chalk outline of the hunter Roy on the floor near him, whom Hunter had ordered Roy's partner Walt to kill as his first act upon being freed.

And near Roy's outline was the chalk outline of Hunter's dead mother. A woman Hunter had never truly known beyond giving him life before leaving him in the warded cellar.

"I don't know what to do," Hunter said to himself as he fought back the tears. He thought his father was dead and that his uncles would blame him. In reality Adam was alive, but comatose thanks to the vampire who'd invaded the house. "Everyone I've ever cared for is gone. Mommy, help me. Please."

"Oh, what's the matter, wee one?" the red-headed woman with the Scottish accent said as she stood at the door. "You sound like you're in pain."

"Who are you?" Hunter asked as he looked up. "Are you an angel?"

"Oh, dear boy, I'm so much more powerful than a mere angel," Rowena said as she kneeled down to stare him in the eyes. "In fact, your father sent me to look after you. You and I are going to have many grand adventures together, Hunter."

 **Wayward Sons #33**

 **"Interview With the Alpha Vampire, Part Three"**

 _Windom, Minnesota_

The door to the Milligan house opened as Mike, Asher, Prometheus and Connor walked in, followed by Ritchie. The living room was still trashed as Ritchie looked around, immediately feeling the psychic energy of what had happened.

"So, how does this psychic thing work?" Connor asked as he watched Ritchie running his hand along various objects. "Do you read minds from a distance or cause stuff to float to get clues?"

"Not that kind of psychic, although I can read minds if I focus hard enough," Ritchie told him as he headed toward the glass table where Hunter had crashed through, getting flashes of the situation that had unfolded. He kneeled down and saw Hunter's blood on the glass. "I'm kind of like, I don't know, a bloodhound, only I use my mind instead of my nose.I read things, like objects or people. This is where Hunter was. He was tranquilized from the window, just like Prometheus was."

"Yeah two twin assholes drugged me, then some lady in black knocked me out." Prometheus told him.

Ritchie stood up and walked over to where Ben had been knocked out. "A vampire was here. And two humans. They took Ben."

"Can you tell us where?"

"The Alpha Vampire," Ritchie said as he looked at Mike. "He's got Ben, but Hunter left on his own."

"Poor kid probably saw Adam when he woke up and assumed the worst," Asher said as he looked at his friends. "He could be out there running into trouble right now. Ritchie, do you know where he went?"

"No, he teleported," Ritchie said. "His mind was in such a state of shock that I can't tell where he took off too. There were about a dozen or so thoughts going through his mind, and all of them were due to panic and grief. There's no telling what the poor kid was going to do next."

"Teleported? No way, Samandriel locked up the kids powers." Mike said. "Adam wanted him to grow up a normal kid."

"Someone obviously had other ideas," Prometheus said. "So at least we can assume Hunter's alive for now."

"Yeah, until whatever snatched Samandriel, Todreel and Jesse catches up with him," Mike told them. "But it sounds like Ben needs us more than anyone. The four of us will go track him down. Asher? Go find Hunter if he's out there. Take him back to the road house for safekeeping."

"Mike, are you sure?"

"Asher, you're good with kids," Mike told him. "And that little boy likes you better than he does any of us. He'll trust you, that's why I'm sending you to do this."

"Okay," Asher told him. "I'll see you guys back at the road house."

"Okay, so how do we find this Alpha Vampire?" Mike asked as Asher headed to the door.

"I know where he is," Connor said. "He telepathically gave me the address with his invite earlier. He's getting married."

"And Ben's what, a wedding gift?" Mike asked. "What sense does taking him make?"

"Let's go ask." Prometheus said as he picked up his sword.

* * *

At the Alpha Vampire's compound, Josei was watching Ben from the door.

"You've taken a liking to him, haven't you?" the Alpha Vampire asked.

"He is stunning to look at, but he's a human." Josei said as Sandy stood around the corner, listening.

"A minor setback, but after the wedding he will be one of us," the Alpha Vampire told her. "He will be your mate."

"I thought Sandy was to be my mate," Josei said.

"While Sandy is a strong fighter, and being turned will only make him stronger, Ben is already at the top of his game. Once turned to our side, even the great Dean Winchester will be brought to his knees," the Alpha Vampire told her. "And with you being my #1 warrior, it only seems fitting that the two of you be mates."

"Thank you, my master," Josei said. "This is an honor."

* * *

Asher headed to the hospital in case Hunter had ended up there to be with his father. Sneaking into the intensive care ward, Asher found Adam's room and opened the door, seeing his friend laying motionless in a bed with monitors attached to him.

"Hunter?" Asher whispered as he entered the room. When the boy didn't answer after searching the room, Asher took Adam's hand. "I'm going to find him, Adam, I promise. And when you wake up, your family will be here waiting. I'll be here waiting. Your son's going to be in good hands, I swear. Me and Mike already think of him as blood, just like you. Heal up, buddy, because this world needs you."

* * *

 _Heaven_

"Alright, let's get a few things straight here," Lucifer said as a dozen angels lay around him, unconscious. "My boy is on Earth and being held hostage by the Winchesters; my kingdom has been taken over by a psychopath and you morons are standing around and letting all of this idly happen?"

"Our numbers decrease every day," one of the angels said. "Unlike demons, angels can't be made that easily. We need God."

"You don't need God!" Lucifer laughed. "You need a leader. And I need a place to lay low. In case you haven't been listening to angel radio, apparently there are hits out for me from every side of the fence, and yes, I'm aware that you dickbags want me dead as well, but hear me out. Michael's in the Cage and Daddy dearest skipped town. That leaves... say it with me... ME! I'm all you have! And unless you let me sit on this throne, you're all going to be extinct soon. So do as I say, and maybe we stand a chance of surviving against what's coming."

"And what exactly is coming?"

"War, torture, extinction, maybe not in that order," Lucifer said. "We're talking the end of our kind, the end of Heaven and everything inbetween. Look, I'm not overly fond of this place, but it's kind of my childhood home. I'd rather not see it bulldozed, okay? Well, unless I'm the one doing the wrecking. So, all hands on deck. Oh, except for those two losers in holding. And Castiel, obviously, because fuck Castiel."

* * *

Luke walked in to find Ben still tied to the support beam, struggling to get free of his ropes.

"Your wrists will chafe worse the more you struggle," Luke said. "Just relax, you won't be harmed, I promise."

"You're Patrick Wheat's kids," Ben told him. "He's been looking for you two for years."

"Patrick... Wheat?"

"Your dad, dumbass," Ben said. "You've been missing since you were three years old. Vampires killed your mom and took the two of you."

"That's not right, the master said he rescued us from an abusive home," Luke said as he sat down. "He's been nothing but great to us. When we turn eighteen next week, he's going to make us official vampires."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be, trust me, a good friend of mine is a vampire," Ben told him. "Got a favorite food? Kiss it goodbye because you'll be on an all-blood diet. You won't be able to go outside without heavy sunscreen. All your senses will be enhanced and it'll totally kill any music you like, or movies you like to watch. Everything you like about your life currently? It'll wither up and die and you'll never enjoy anything again that doesn't involve hurting people or feeding."

"You're lying," Luke said as he stood up. "Being a vampire is a gift."

"It's a curse," Ben told him. "It destroys everything you are. I saw it in my dad when he was turned while I was a kid. I see it in my mom when I look at her now. I see it in my friend Connor. Take a good hard look at the monsters around you, kid. Is that what you really want to be?"

"I- I have to go," Luke said as he stood up. "The wedding's going to start soon."

"Vampires killed your dad, too," Ben told him. "He wanted nothing more in the world than to know you were okay. He asked me to find you to make sure you're at least safe. You're not safe, Luke, not by a longshot."

"How did you know I'm Luke?"

"You have a mole on your cheek," Ben said. "Your dad knew everything about you, every detail and always said how proud he was of his little boys. He raised me like a son, and in a way... I guess I felt like I had brothers out there somewhere. Think about what you're doing, Luke. Ask yourself if this is the life you want."

* * *

At a rest stop on the way to the Alpha Vampire's mansion, Prometheus and Connor were getting snacks as Mike found Ritchie sitting on the on the grass, looking at pictures of him and Lucas on his phone. The two looked happy together as they were enjoying a day at the beach.

"How long have you two been dating?" Mike asked as he sat down next to Ritchie, handing him a soda.

"What? We're not-"

"Kid, you have the same goofy look on your face that Asher did whenever he looked at Mason when we were on hunts together," Mike told him. "It's the look of love. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that the town sheriff's seeing an underage kid."

"It was after the thing with Dawn," Ritchie said. "Lucas was starting to ask more questions about the psychic thing, getting more and more into that world. Then one night we just... kissed, and from there we started secretly dating. I think that's why Missouri packed up and left. She knew I was with someone who'd take care of me so she could go take care of her own family. Lucas has been nothing but good to me, encouraging me to use my gifts to help others. I love him, Mike. Which is why I'm scared he's going to get hurt if some monster decides to target me."

"He's a tough guy, he knows how to handle himself," Mike told him. "You two will do great. Does this mean that you're thinking of becoming a hunter?"

"Lucas knows a sheriff in Sioux Falls who's a hunter, she's offered to help us if we're ever up there," Ritchie said. "I'm nervous, though. What if one of us gets killed doing this?"

"Being a hunter isn't easy, it takes a lot of hard work and practice," Mike said. "But it's worth it when you save a life. You and Lucas are welcome to train with me and Asher, too."

"What about the tumor?" Ritchie asked as Mike got a look of shock on his face."Psychic, remember?"

"What I'm about to tell you stays between us." Mike said. "I'm dying."

* * *

"What are you doing now?" Todreel asked as he saw Samandriel stripping down to his boxers, then started tearing his shirt and pants to make a long rope.

"The key to our cell is on that table," Samandriel told him as he tied the strips together with the metal piece of his belt on one end. "Perhaps I can reach it I can bring the keys to us."

"Where did you get such a stupid, stupid idea?"

"From a television program called 'The Brady Bunch'."

"I preferred the movie from the 90's," Todreel said. "And you do realize that if we manage to escape you'll be in your underwear, right?"

"Modesty is something I never picked up, even when I was human. But we'll be free, that's all that matters," Samandriel said as he headed to the bars. "Let's hope this works. If we can escape this cell, we can use our powers to return to Earth and warn Ben and Adam. I will not let Lucifer harm my brothers."

* * *

Luke was sitting in his room, staring at his reflection in a handheld mirror, thinking about all the things he enjoyed as a human. He didn't want to believe Ben, but his words had gotten the young man to thinking.

"He's wrong, being a vampire is an honor." Luke whispered as Sandy stormed in. "Brother? What's wrong?"

"We have to kill Ben before the wedding," Sandy told him. "He seeks to take away what is rightfully mine."

"What are you talking about?" Luke asked.

"My intended," Sandy said. "The master has promised Ben to her. This will not stand. I'll kill Ben myself if I have to."

"Instead of killing him, maybe we should let him go," Luke told him. "I want to see if he truly knows where we come from."

As the two brothers talked, Josei was listening outside of the door.

* * *

Mike, Prometheus, Connor and Ritchie hid the truck a mile away and after cloaking their scents in the special ash, made their way to the Alpha Vampire's mansion,, holding a few gallons of dead man's blood they'd picked up at the mortuary on the way to the compound.

"This is it," Connor said as the group started taking stock of the arrows and knives they'd brought along. "That's a lot of vampires."

"Well, it is a wedding," Mike said as he looked at Ritchie. "Is Ben in there?"

"Yeah," Ritchie told him. "But even with our scents hidden, and if we poison everyone along the way with the dead man's blood, we'll be jumped the second we get in."

"Maybe," Mike said as he saw some vampires carrying crying children through the door. "Maybe not. I have an idea. Connor will take me and Ritchie in as an offering. When we're in, I'll find Ben while Ritchie frees all the captives that the vamps are bringing as an offering."

"That's insane, you'll be killed before you reach the door." Prometheus told him.

"The odds are good, but we've got the element of surprise," Mike told him. "Hope your aim's good, kid. It's up to you to take out the security on the outside. That'll give us a chance if we can clear the exit. And if you could get in contact with Adam's brothers, that'd be great, too."

"This plan is going to get us killed." Connor said. "Ritchie's not even a fighter, and I'm not much better at hand to hand fighting. You and Prometheus are the only ones who can hold your own."

"It's our only chance to save Ben and those people, we have to take it," Mike told him as he pulled out his cell phone. "Prometheus, call everyone you can get in contact with on my call list. Except Asher. Under no circumstance do you call him, got it?"

"Yeah, this plan won't work," Cole said as he showed up behind the group before he looked at Mike. "But then again, that's the idea, isn't it?"

"Who the hell are you?"Connor asked.

"I'm Cole, and I'm a reaper," Cole told them. " _Your_ reaper. Gather around, boys, let me tell you a little story about a reaper and the group of dickholes he's forced to watch after."

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**


	41. Interview With the Alpha Vampire 4

_Earlier Today_

Jesse got to his feet and stumbled around a bit before focusing all of his energy on fixing onto Lucifer's location in the universe. He finally found something and started opening a portal. That's when he felt something in his pocket, pulling out the charm just as Lucifer stepped through the open crack in time and space.

"Whew! It does feel good to be back!" Lucifer said as he saw Jesse, opening his arms. "My boy! Come on, bring it in for the old man."

Jesse was nervous at first, but slowly approached Lucifer, letting him hug the boy who'd opened the portal. "I'm not going to question why you're shirtless every time I see you, but hey, it's your life."

"So... now what?" Jesse asked nervously.

"Well," Lucifer said as he pulled away slightly and looked into Jesse's eyes with a smirk. "Now I go find my biological son who is in every way, shape and form superior to you," Lucifer said while putting his hands on Jesse's shoulders. "Unfortunately this also means that I only need one uber-powerful child running around so-"

WIthout missing a beat, Lucifer snapped Jesse's neck, watching him fall to the ground with his eyes wide open. Lucifer started whistling as he stepped over Jesse's dead body before disappearing into the sunset moments later.

"I could go for a burger right now," Lucifer said to himself. "Wonder if Big Kahuna Burger is open late."

As Jesse lay there in the grass, the charm still being clutched tightly in his hand, started to glow, reviving Jesse and bringing life back to him. Unfortunately, a glowing stream of energy chose that moment to enter his body. His eyes glowing white as he opened them, Jesse sat up and looked at his hands.

"That was easier than I thought..," Jesse stood up and stretched before pausing. "Don't fight it, boy. I am immensely more powerful than you. Just relax and enjoy what happens next."

 **Wayward Sons #34**

 **"Interview With the Alpha Vampire Part Four"**

 _Three Months Earlier_

"I think my brother's upcoming wedding is stressing me out more than anything," Mike told the doctor. "I've been having bad stress headaches lately."

The doctor looked at the x-ray as he approached Mike. "I'm afraid it's something worse than a mere headache. You have a brain tumor, Mr. Colby. Have you experienced any head trauma recently?"

"Well," Mike thought about all the hunts over the last few years where he'd taken hits to the head. "I have hit my head a few times. How long do I have, doc?"

 _Now_

"It's inoperable," Mike told the group as they stood outside the Alpha Vampire's mansion. "All I can do is take medication to keep the headaches at bay."

"How long do you have?" Prometheus asked.

"I should have been dead a month and a half ago," Mike told them. "But I'm not going to lay down and die. Asher needs me. My friends need me. I can go anytime, but... something in me just wants to keep fighting."

"And you're here to gloat?" Ritchie asked as he looked at Cole.

"I'm not here to gloat or take joy, I'm here to do my job," Cole told the group. "And apparently that job now includes the lot of you. Once any of you dies, it doesn't matter how, I have to personally escort you to the Empty. You guys are tied to Ben and his friends now, meaning that any one of you could screw up the natural course of things if you died and somehow... came back. The Empty is the only option for the lot of you."

"So... no Heaven?" Ritchie asked.

"Heaven's just a 'greatest hits' album anyway," Cole told them. "You wouldn't be missing much."

"Does Asher know?" Connor asked.

"NO!" Mike shouted. "And none of you are going to tell him. My baby brother's not going to worry about me, got it? This stays between us."

* * *

"Dammit, Hunter, where are you?" Asher asked as he lowered his machete. Laying around him were a half a dozen demons that he'd managed to exorcise that had gathered at a gas station with the intent of blowing it up. "Poor kid's probably scared out of his mind."

* * *

"Are you enjoying your ice cream, Hunter?" Rowena asked as Hunter sat across from her on a park bench, licking a cookies & cream cone.

"I miss my Dad." Hunter said softly. As far as Hunter knew, his father was dead and his uncles hated him. And his sweet and caring Aunt Rowena had done nothing to correct the boy on any of these things. As far as Hunter was aware, Rowena was all he had in the world right now.

"Oh, I know, dear," Rowena told him. "He was such a good man, doing all of those... good things. But I did promise him that if anything ever happened to him, I'd watch over his precious Hunter. You're very special, you know."

"Because I have powers?"

"Well, yes, but it's so much more than that," Rowena told him. "You're going to be a superhero."

"Like Superman?" Hunter asked as his eyes widened.

"Exactly like Superman," Rowena smirked. "Maybe you've even got some flying powers in you. But we need to unlock those powers, first."

"How do we do that?'

"I'm so glad you asked."

* * *

Lisa walked into the room where Ben was tied to the post.

"How did this happen?" Ben asked. "I spent years trying to find you and you've been here the whole time with the oldest living vampire?"

"He saved my life," Lisa told him as she gently stroked Ben's cheek. "I wanted to find you so badly, but by the time I'd gotten used to being like this, you'd gone off the grid. I wanted to find you so badly, but you're here and we can be a real family again."

"No, we can't," Ben told her. "I'm a hunter, just like my dad is. Dean Winchester is my father."

"How did you know who-"

"Because Dean was a part of our lives for over a year, but something bad happened and he had to leave us. He had an angel erase our memories so we'd never know who he is. But I got those memories back. Dean's my dad and he kills monsters like the Alpha Vampire. I can save you, Mom. It's too late to cure your vampirism, but you don't have to drink human blood to live. You can drink animal blood like my friend Connor. We can go home and make a life work with you and my friends."

"Enough!" Lisa shouted as she held her ears. "The Alpha Vampire is going to be your new step-father and you will respect him as one. After the wedding I'm going to turn you and then you'll see how great this life will be."

"Mom, please."

"Oh, baby, don't you see? I'm doing this for you. There will be no more hunting and no more talk of Dean Winchester, understand? That's final. You may be a grown man, but I'm still your mother, and we will be a family." Lisa said as she left a crying Ben behind.

* * *

Connor led Mike and Ritchie to the doors, with both of their hands tied and sacks over their heads. The ushers at the door stopped them and looked at the list.

"Name?"

"Connor Wilson. I brought some gifts," Connor said as he leaned in to whisper in one of the usher's ears. "Young and full of blood."

"Connor, Connor, here it is," the usher said. "The Alpha Vampire's been waiting for you to join the brood. Congratulations, just drop the gifts off with at the basement door just up the hall."

"You guys going to be okay?" Connor asked in sign language once he took the sacks off of their heads upon coming through the door. Connor was an expert at sign language, his mother having been deaf. He'd taught it to Mike and Asher as a way to communicate in heavily populated vampire dens due to their enhanced hearing.

Mike shook his head 'yes' as Connor led them to the basement doors.

"The kid's a bit scrawny," the guard said as he looked at Ritchie. "But the other one more than makes up for it. Take the boy to the others downstairs, I'm taking this one to the kitchen as part of the main course."

"The main course?" Connor asked.

"We've got a good selection of some of the juiciest humans ready to be served after the wedding, and I think this one will be one of the biggest courses. The Alpha Vampire will be pleased, boy. We'll be sure to let him know that you brought him a spectacular gift."

Connor gulped as Mike was pushed toward the kitchen.

"... Shit."

* * *

As one of the guards outside walked around the perimeter, an arrow drenched in dead man's blood shot right through his neck. As he fell to the ground, Prometheus quickly ran up and beheaded him with the machete in his other hand.

"You're pretty good at this," Cole said as he watched Prometheus drag the body into the bushes. "I'd heard tales of your father."

"Is my Dad in Heaven?" Prometheus asked.

"The Empty, with the other Gods," Cole said. "Only mortals get to go to Heaven, unless they're a threat to the natural order like you and your friends."

"Why do you hate us?" Prometheus asked as he came out of the bushes.

"I don't hate you," Cole told him. "What I hate is that my job as an honest to goodness reaper is on hold for you assholes. I should be out escorting people to Heaven, not the Empty. At least until there are no more angels and Heaven crumbles."

"Come again?"

"The angels are dying," Cole said. "There can't be more than a few dozen left at this point. Angels can't just be created like reapers or demons, God himself has to make them. And since God's been out of the picture since forever..."

"My friend Todreel," Prometheus said. "Is he still alive?"

"Short kid with the attitude problem? Yeah, he's still kicking," Cole said. "I just can't pick him up on my radar. You and the angel are close, huh?"

"He's the brother I never had," Prometheus said. "I miss him greatly."

"Then hope that he doesn't fall with the rest of the angels," Cole told him as Prometheus pulled out his bow and aimed at the next vampire guard not too far away. "Because once the angels are down to a precious few, Heaven's done for."

* * *

"Think, Connor, think," the teen vampire said to himself as he wandered through the Alpha Vampire's mansion, trying to avoid the guests and ushers. "Mike's in trouble and Ritchie can't fight. I need to find Ben and-"

As Connor turned, he ran right into the Alpha Vampire.

"Connor," the Alpha Vampire said with a evil smile. "You made it. I've waited for you for such a long time, my boy. Welcome home."

"Well, er, it's uh- it's good to be home?" Connor asked nervously.

"Come, let's share a drink, we have a lot to celebrate today," the Alpha Vampire said as he handed Connor a glass of blood. "Drink up, my boy."

Connor stared down at the glass of human blood, something he'd never had since he became a vampire over a year ago. If he drank now, he feared what he would become.

* * *

Mike's clothes were ripped from his body as he was cleaned and scrubbed down for the big feast. His arms and neck were examined before shoving him into a room that was meant to keep his body temperature warm so his blood would taste the best when he was served.

"You'll excuse us for keeping you apart from the rest of the meal," the vampire said as he started to close the door. "As the most muscular, you'll be the first one served. You get the honor of being the first meal of the Alpha Vampire and his bride once they are husband and wife. There is no honor greater than being ripped apart and having every ounce of blood sucked out of your limbs by the Father."

"This is bad," Mike said as he looked for a way to escape. "No weapons, no dead man's blood, and worst of all, no pants. Come on, Mike, you've been living with a brain tumor for months, you're not letting it end with being vampire chow. You have to get out of here, for Asher."

* * *

 _Heaven_

"Almost got it," Samandriel said as he finally managed to lasso the keys to the cell, dragging them over. "Freedom is upon us, Todreel."

"For how long?" Todreel asked. "Lucifer's running Heaven now, remember? We can't exactly escape Heaven, especially if you're practically naked. You'll stick out like a sore thumb."

"Then we will have to really careful," Samandriel told him as he unlocked the cell. "We must get to Earth and warn my friends about the danger. If a war is coming, I know people who can help. As soon as we're clear of this cell, we should be able to teleport back to Earth. Then we can start getting help to fight Lucifer."

"Who? The mortals you hang out with?" Todreel asked. "Go find your friends if you wish, but there is nothing you can do against Lucifer. He's the most powerful archangel, he'll smite your friends with a snap of his fingers."

"Why do you continue to support him? You heard the way he belittled and dismissed you earlier," Samandriel said as he headed toward the door. "Why do you support such a monster?"

"Because it's all I have," Todreel told him as he stopped. "I lost you, Prometheus has probably given up and left for better things by now, and everyone in my host body's life would have moved on long ago. Todd's parents died the night I took this body, and the mortal girl he liked... she's probably forgotten about him. I lost everything, even you."

"You have not lost me," Samandriel told him as he gave Todreel a smile. "I still hold you in my heart, Todreel. We may not be romantically involved anymore, but I still care greatly for you. That love has never diminished, no matter how you have treated me over the millennia. As long as I breathe, you will never lose me."

A hand put itself on Samandriel's shoulder. He turned and found Lucifer smiling at him.

"Let's test that theory, shall we?" Lucifer asked as he shoved an angel blade through his heart. Samandriel screamed in pain as a white light shined through his eyes. Letting Samandriel fall to the floor, Lucifer turned his attention to Todreel."The little ragamuffin. I've never really cared for killing kids, but-"

One flap of his wings and Todreel had vanished from his sight, realizing that once he was out of the cell he had access to his powers again.

"Fine, run, you're not worth my time!" Lucifer shouted as he looked down at Samandriel's lifeless body. "What are you looking at?"

On Earth, the portal to Heaven opened on the playground sandbox as Todreel fell out. The young angel found himself on his knees, weeping for Samandriel.

 _ **To Be Continued...**_


End file.
